Mr Whackford Squeers from Nicholas Nickleby – Original Dickens Lithograph, 1889
€ 160
Original antique · The actual sheet photographed · Certificate of authenticity on request · Sold unframed · Worldwide shipping from € 15 (rates)
Date
1889
Mapmaker / artist
Joseph Clayton Clarke (“Kyd”)
Publisher
Raphael Tuck & Sons, London, Paris & New York
Technique
Chromolithograph
Sheet size
25.4 × 18.4 cm (10.0 × 7.2 in)
Condition
Good
Reference
BGCL-001-24
What the condition grades mean
Excellent
Bright and clean, with no faults worth mentioning.
Very good
Only light signs of age, such as faint toning.
Good
Normal signs of age for a sheet of this period: toning, some foxing, small marks or neat old repairs.
Fair
Clear faults such as staining, tears or repairs, priced to match.
Every fault we see is written in the condition note, and the whole sheet is shown uncropped in the photos.
Condition
Original chromolithograph in good condition. Light foxing in the margins and faint age toning throughout. No tears or repairs; colors strong and image crisp.
About this sheet
Mr Whackford Squeers from Nicholas Nickleby – Original Dickens Lithograph by Kyd, c.1889 This striking chromolithograph depicts Mr Whackford Squeers, the notorious schoolmaster from Charles Dickens' Nicholas Nickleby, in a vivid and theatrical rendering by the illustrator Joseph Clayton Clarke, better known as "Kyd." Issued around 1889 by Raphael Tuck & Sons, this series of Dickens character portraits remains a highlight of late Victorian book illustration.
Squeers is shown with a smug expression and a cruel gleam in his eye—attributes that align with his role in the novel as the abusive headmaster of Dotheboys Hall. In his left hand he clutches a worn top hat, and in his right, a card, perhaps referencing his business as a false educational authority. Draped over one shoulder is his instrument of discipline, a bunch of birch rods, further cementing his sinister character.
The costume details are rendered with meticulous care: he wears a threadbare black coat and ill-fitting trousers, which hint at both his pretensions and shabbiness. The muted palette of grays, blacks, and dull blues allows his flushed face and twisted grin to draw the eye—hallmarks of caricature that Kyd masterfully employed to underscore personality.
Dickens created Squeers as a scathing critique of the brutal Yorkshire boarding schools of the early 19th century. This illustration thus reflects not only a character, but also Dickens’ social reformist agenda. Kyd’s exaggeration of gesture and expression brings this villain vividly to life, encapsulating his deception, cruelty, and comic grotesqueness.
This original lithograph is ideal for collectors of Dickens memorabilia, fans of literary illustration, or anyone intrigued by Victorian caricature.
Condition report: Original chromolithograph in good condition. Light foxing in the margins and faint age toning throughout. No tears or repairs; colors strong and image crisp.
Framing tips: A dark mahogany or black wood frame works well, ideally with a light cream or parchment-colored mat to contrast the dark tones of Squeers’ attire. Consider UV-protective glass to preserve the paper and colors.
