Pictures 11 to 13 bring us to No. 14, which contains small facsimile reproductions of the six designs on the front of the Punch-wrapper, which preceded the well-known design by Richard Doyle, now used every week. These little pictures have been made direct from the original Punch-wrappers in my possession, as it was found impossible to get satisfactory prints in so small a size as these from the much larger blocks that Messrs. Cassell and Company very kindly lent to me, impressions from which can be seen by readers who may like to study the detail of these designs in Mr. Spielmann's "History of Punch," which contains a full account of them. Incidentally, it is interesting to note that when these designs were made it would have been impossible to obtain from them the excellent reduced facsimiles now shown, which, by the way, have only now been obtained after several attempts—as each of these pretty little pictures has been reduced from the full size of the ordinary Punch-page.
15.—BY LEECH. 1852.
The first design was made in 1841 by A. S. Henning, Mr. Punch's first cartoonist. In the early years of Punch the design for the wrapper was changed for each half-yearly volume, and early in 1842 the second design was adopted: this was drawn by Hablot K. Browne ("Phiz"), who worked for Punch during 1842-1844, leaving Punch in 1844, because the paper could not at that time stand the financial strain of the two big guns, Leech and "Phiz". H. K. Browne went back to Mr. Punch in later years, and Mr. Spielmann has recorded that this "brave worker, who would not admit his stroke of paralysis, but called it rheumatism, could still draw when the pencil was tied to his fingers and answered the swaying of his body."
The third wrapper is by William Harvey, and was used for Vol. III. of Punch in the latter part of 1842. The artist "spread consternation in the office by sending in a charge of twelve guineas" for this third wrapper—twelve guineas being, by the way, nearly one-half of the total capital with which Punch was started in 1841.
The fourth wrapper was designed by Sir John Gilbert, whose work for Punch, although greatly intermittent, and small in quantity, was spread over a longer period than that of any other Punch artist—save Sir John Tenniel. This wrapper covered the first part of 1843, and it was used until recent years as the pink cover of Punch's monthly parts.
The fifth wrapper is by Kenny Meadows—you can just see his signature on the lower rim of the drum—and it was used in the latter part of 1843. Then, in January, 1844, Richard Doyle, Mr. Punch's latest recruit, was employed to design the new wrapper—the sixth of our illustration No. 14. This design was used until January, 1849, and then Doyle made the alterations which distinguish this sixth wrapper from the one now in use and which has been used ever since.
16.—TO TERRIFY THE ENEMY. 1852.
A little boy's advice to his grandfather is illustrated by Leech in No. 15, and No. 16 suggests an added horror of war. The humorous prospectus in No. 17 concludes with the words:—