Dust O, New Church Strand, Cries of London, 1804

An original antique hand colored copper engraving of a London street seller, lettered "DUST O!" below the image and "New Church Strand." in script above it. A dustman in a black hat, red neckerchief, green waistcoat, yellow jacket and red breeches rings a hand bell, a long whip held upright in his other hand. Beside him stands his tall wooden cart, loaded with a basket and ladder, and behind him rises the steeple of the church in the Strand.

The location "New Church Strand." is engraved in script at the top of the plate and the cry "DUST O!" in open capitals at the bottom. Below the border, the lower left corner carries the artist credit "Craig del." (meaning Craig drew it), and the center carries the imprint "Published April 25 1804 by Richard Phillips 71 St. Pauls Church Yard", dated April 25, 1804. Faint traces of an erased line reading "Drawn by Craig" remain below the image at left; no engraver's name is legible. The "New Church" in the Strand was the common name of St. Mary le Strand, completed to designs by James Gibbs in the 1710s.

Modern London; Being the History and Present State of the British Metropolis was published in London in 1804, printed for Richard Phillips of No. 71, St. Paul's Church-Yard, by C. Mercier and Co., and "illustrated with numerous copper plates." Alongside its views of public buildings it carried a series of plates of the street traders of London, each showing a seller with his or her wares against a recognizable London setting, named in script above the image, with the trader's cry engraved below. William Marshall Craig, credited on the plate as the draftsman, was a London painter in watercolors and miniatures and a drawing master. His designs for the series record the dress, tools and goods of the people who sold in the streets of Georgian London.

Framed with a wide mat, it would sit well in a kitchen, hallway or study, or in a group with other London street cries.

This is an original antique print, not a modern reproduction. This item is sold unframed.