A large folio broadside: The contrast of kings William and Adelaide 1830-31
[BROADSIDE]; CATNACH, James, printer. The Contrast of Kings! Charles the French Tyrant. William and Adelaide, England’s Hope and Glory. London: J. Catnach, 2 Monmouth-court, Seven Dials, [c.1830–1831].
Broadside, 510 × 380 mm, printed one side only: large woodcut at head depicting William IV enthroned with Queen Adelaide, flanked by sailors, officers, guns and ships; naval crown with crossed anchors above; bold decorative border; below, letterpress verse in multiple columns including “Our King is a True British Sailor.” Old central fold, a couple of trivial edge nicks and faint handling, repaired corner tips, but an unusually strong and clean impression.
A superb Seven Dials patriotic song-sheet from the first months of William IV’s reign, explicitly contrasting Britain’s “Sailor King” (with Adelaide) against “Charles the French Tyrant” (Charles X, ousted in the July Revolution of 1830). The verses celebrate Magna Carta, liberty and sea-power; the striking woodcut unites throne and fleet, with the British Lion crouched at the shoreline. Printed by James Catnach, one of the most celebrated popular-press printers of the period.
Large, illustrated Catnach broadsides are scarce survivals; although one has been traced of this title in the Catnach collection at St Bride Printing Library (item L12), but no others online, in an institution or in auction records.