Cynicus (Martin Anderson); The Satires of Cynicus, 1890, Signed and numbered First edition, edition-de-luxe.

'Cynicus, the pen name of Martin Anderson, was a Scottish artist, political and satirical cartoonist, postcard illustrator and publisher. Born in 1854, the son a a railway station master from Leuchars in Fife, Scotland, he died in 1932.

In the 1890s he enjoyed considerable success from his shop in Drury Lane, from which he published his works. His business, The Cynicus Publishing Company, also enjoyed popularity during the boom in picture postcard sales after the British Post Office allowed their use in the mail.

He moved to Edinburgh in 1915 where he ran a shop which was later destroyed by fire in 1924. He then retired to 'Castle Cynicus' in Balmullo in Fife. His work often highlighted the grotesque disparity between the lives of the wealthy and the ordinary citizen.

Large-format first edition of Martin Anderson’s celebrated satirical cartoons, here issued as one of only 100 edition-de-luxe copies, printed on large paper, fully hand-coloured, and signed and numbered by the artist as No. 98, with his date “Retouched Aug 1892”, to the title page (in attractive script).

The deluxe issue is considerably scarcer than the later 1892 cheap collected edition and represents the most desirable form of this work short of a complete set of the original monthly parts.

The Satires of Cynicus, by Cynicus (Martin Anderson).

Published by D.R. Duncan, London 1890, with the hand colouring being completed in 1892 as per the author's inscription.

A very good large cloth hardback in original blue cloth with gilt pictorial decoration to front board and spine, and with bevelled edges to boards. Covers show some bumping and light wear, with a 1cm tear to the rear cloth, with a few scuff marks. Some cracking to front endpapers at gutter. 

Text and plates are bright and clean throughout, the hand-colouring fresh and vibrant. With one of Cynicus’ original printed postcards ("Sunsets Golden Glow") loosely laid in (and in protective, removable, plastic wallet). Small bookplate of 'J.H. Bedford of the Royal Engineers' to first pastedown.

Text is very good throughout - bright and clean throughout, with the hand-colouring still vibrant. Mild age-toning to extremities. Gilt edges to text block.

Text in English.

Weight approximately 740g (unpacked). 

Unnumbered pages, but approximately 60pp - all illustrations hand-coloured.

Approx Dimensions: 

Approximately 278mm high x 214mm wide 10mm deep.