In looking for material I discovered there have been
multiple “Tom and Jerrys” over time. Most of us know about the cat and mouse cartoon—probably the first in our awareness. I was looking for information on the Regency cartoonist who drew the “Tom and Jerry” young buck hellraisers. So far I have discovered yet another Tom and Jerry, published in 1932.“Tom and Jerry” was also the original stage name used by Simon and Garfunkel in 1957, and it is also a drink consisting of a beaten egg, Jamaican rum, brandy, powdered sugar, boiling water, and nutmeg. It has been used as the name of a folk/fiddle tune, restaurant(s), and likely many other things, it seems at least.
But the Tom and Jerry I was looking for were British cartoons published in London by R. Ackerman between 1815 and 1821. They were done by Pierce Egan, a chronicler of London low life during the Regency period, in a series called . Life in London, or Days and Nights of Jerry Hawthorne and his elegant friend Corinthian Tom. “Corinthian Tom and Jerry Hawthorn” were the characters he used to show the antics of certain rich young bucks causing mischief. They were two young men with a propensity for enjoying themselves and having “adventures.” I think I might call them “rakehells.”
Tom and Jerry and Corinthian Kate
As with fashion prints, you can find Tom and Jerry prints for sale. I first made their acquaintance on…where else…Ebay.
If you would like to see a nice collection of these prints, go to this site. Kauai Fine Prints is a reseller of old prints, and luckily has a selection of “Life in London” on display. Also, you can view Mr. Egan’s cartoons featuring his “Doctor Syntax” character as well.
http://www.brunias.com/tom-jerry.html
Laurie
Laurie, is there a collection of the prints in a book you’d recommend? I’m interested in Egan (and my dad posted a comment on my post yesterday mentioning Egan, too), and I was hoping there was some easy way to see some of his stuff.
And I cannot stand the cat and mouse cartoon. Don’t know why.
I shouldn’t think Egan had too much to do with the prints — he was the writer, after all. I have Egan’s “Real Life in London” in two volumes (a 1905 reprint of the 1821 edition), and I adore it — I really think Heyer’s Regency world was mainly from Gronow and Egan. The text is by Egan, and the illustrations are by “Messrs. Heath, Alken, Dighton, Brooke, Rowlandson, etc.”
I also have a reprint of Egan’s “Boxiana,” though as I’m not that interested in boxing (nor have any of my characters been), I’ve never read it!
Cara
Megan, I don’t have an answer to that. I explored on line to find out what I could, and didn’t happen to run into a reference to a book on the subject. I was surprised that there was so little. I wouldn’t mind buying a book on those prints and related history…I think I will look for onel
I never liked the cat and mouse cartoon, either.
Laurie
Okay, did some more research. Supposedly Egan contracted with two sons of a Scottish artist, Isaac Robert Cruikshank and George Cruikshank. Incidently, I know the name Cruikshank from some other illustrations I’ve seen…no idea which Cruikshank, however. They did the original version, “Life in London….”
A later edition…perhaps not even authored by Egan (?) (my information is coming from Bartleby.com) was published in 1821 and titled Real Life in London, or, the Rambles and Adventures of Bob Tallyho, Esq. and his cousin, the Hon. Tom Dashall, through the Metropolis; exhibiting a living picture of fashionable characters, manners, and amusements in high and low life. The illustrators of that are the ones you mentioned, Cara.
Here is the url for the short article on Bartleby.com:
http://www.bartleby.com/224/0609.html
Also, Cara–I’d love to get my hands on a copy of your book!
Laurie