The frontispiece portrait of William Collins in Volume I is signed as [drawn] by J. Linnell and [engraved] by H. Robinson. It carries the publishers' imprint of Longman, Brown, Green and Longmans, and the date (1848).
The title-page vignettes of both volumes are signed as [painted] by W. Collins R.A. and [engraved] by J. Hinchcliff.
The printers' names are given on the versos of the title pages and in the colophons: 'Tyler & Reed, Printers, Bolt-Court, Fleet-Street.'
The work is dedicated to Sir Robert Peel.
The back pastedown of Volume I carries the binder's ticket, which reads, 'Bound By Westleys & Co. London'.
Summary Note
Wilkie Collins's biography of his father is followed by an Appendix listing 'Pictures Painted By William Collins, Esq., R.A.' and 'Engravings From The Work Of William Collins, R.A.'
Two works by Collins are shown in the title-page vignettes - 'The Shrimper's return' (Vol. I.) and 'Visiting the Puppy' (Vol. II.).
At the end of Volume I a 32-page publishers' advertisement has been bound in, entitled, 'New Works In Miscellaneous And General Literature, Published By Messrs. Longman, Brown, Green, And Longmans, Paternoster Row, London.' ('Printed by M. Mason, Ivy Lane, Paternoster Row.').
Provenance
The front free-endpaper in both volumes is inscribed in ink, 'Presented to the Library of the Royal Academy By the Author'. Presented by Wilkie Collins in 1849 (acknowledged RA Council Minutes, X, 240).
Binding Note
19th-century brown cloth, upper and lower covers having blind-stamped decorative borders; rebacked in 1989 (by A. Wesseley). Vol. I retains earlier spine-piece lettered 'Memoir Of W. Collins R.A. Vol. I.'; Vol. II has spine lettered 'Memoir Of W. Collins Vol. II.'
Painters - Artists - Great Britain - History - 19th century
Biography - Memoirs - Art history - Catalogues - Publishers' advertisements - Great Britain - 19th century