A View of London from the Thames

A View of London from the Thames

May 05 , 2022

For our Signature Peppermint, we've chosen a splendid illustration, a 'View of London from the Thames' by John Bluck, included in one of the 3 volumes of 'The Microcosm of London', one of the most beautiful books of the 19th century.

Owning a copy was a luxury of the day at 15 guineas (£1,000 today).

Produced through a series of collaborative efforts coordinated by the German-born printseller Rudolph Ackermann from his shop, the 'Repository of Arts' at 101 Strand.

An innovative publisher and inventor in touch with the zeitgeist of the time - his shop was one of the first in London to be lit by gas.

He spotted a gap in the market for a grand all-inclusive volume on London, bringing together the talents of the best artists and engravers of the day, displayed alongside current views, news and trivia.