‘Bow Street Office’ by Rowlandson & Pugin - Ackermann Microcosm of London - 1808 Hand-coloured Aquatint

1808 Hand-Coloured Aquatint ‘Bow Street Office’ By Rowlandson & Pugin — Ackermann Microcosm of London

A genuine, original Georgian hand-coloured aquatint engraving titled "Bow Street Office", published in London on March 1, 1808, by Rudolph Ackermann at The Repository of Arts, 101 Strand.

This piece is Plate Number 11 from the landmark publication The Microcosm of London. It illustrates a fascinating, high-contrast social scene inside the historic Bow Street Magistrates' Court—the administrative home of the famous 'Bow Street Runners' policing force.

The print represents a premier artistic collaboration of the period: precise architectural draftsmanship by Augustus Pugin and highly expressive, satirical character studies by the legendary Thomas Rowlandson. The plate features exceptional aquatint shading by the engraver Hill, beautifully enhanced by original, vibrant hand-applied watercolour washes.

The composition masterfully juxtaposes the wealthy and fashionable victims of crime on the left against a motley assortment of Georgian suspects, constables, and night-watchmen on the right under the gaze of the magistrate. The print is neatly mounted inside a contemporary white display mat board and is entirely ready for framing. A magnificent historical artifact and an ideal investment print for legal professionals, historians, or collectors of rare Londoniana.

• Artists: Thomas Rowlandson & Augustus Pugin

• Aquatint Engraver: Hill

• Publisher & Date: Rudolph Ackermann, 1 March 1808

• Material: Hand-coloured aquatint on heavy period woven rag paper

• Condition: Good antique condition. The plate impression line is crisp and distinct. The hand-coloured watercolour washes remain bright and cleanly contained. The paper across the visible display aperture is remarkably clean, showing no visible foxing, centre folds, margins losses, or water staining.

Dimensions

• Mat Board Outer Width: 39.5 cm (approx. 15.5 inches)

• Mat Board Outer Height: 33.5 cm (approx. 13.2 inches)

• Visible Print Aperture Width: 28.0 cm (approx. 11.0 inches)

• Visible Print Aperture Height: 23.3 cm (approx. 9.2 inches)

----------------------------------------

Delivery, Returns & Terms of Sale

----------------------------------------

Shipping & Packaging:

All our items are well packaged using a double-walled "box-in-a-box" method to guarantee safe transit. Dispatch is usually within 2 working days (often faster) via fully tracked and insured Royal Mail delivery services.

• UK mainland: This item is offered with free delivery when dispatched within UK mainland postcodes.

• Europe: & Rest of World: Please contact us for a quote prior to payment

Transit Damage Protocol:

Please inspect the items immediately upon arrival. In the highly unlikely event of transit damage, it must be reported to us with photographic evidence within 48 hours of delivery so we can process a valid insurance claim.

Statutory Returns (UK/EU Consumers):

You possess a statutory right to cancel and return this purchase for any reason within 14 days of delivery. The buyer is entirely responsible for arranging and paying for secure, fully insured and tracked return postage.

Return Condition & Risk:

Returned items remain the financial responsibility of the buyer until safely signed for by us. Items must arrive in their exact original condition. Any return transit damage due to poor packaging may result in a deduction of up to 100% of the refund value under the Consumer Rights Act 2015.

Trade / B2B Transactions:

Transactions conducted on an explicit dealer-to-dealer or trade basis are final and exempt from standard distance-selling "change-of-mind" returns.

Simultaneous Listings:

Our unique items are listed across multiple channels simultaneously. In the rare event of a synchronized double-sale, the item will be awarded to the earlie