"I have my eye on it" An autograph card with sketch by Harry Furniss c1880-90s

FURNISS, Harry. (1854-1925). "I have my eye on it." Autograph card signed to an official connected to the Royal Academy, with original pen-and-ink self-caricature.

London, 23 St Edmund’s Terrace, Regent’s Park, [c. 1880s–1890s].
 
Card, 90 × 140 mm. Autograph manuscript note in ink to recto; pen-and-ink drawing to verso. Two stickers or remnants of attached to the left hand side of the card, some minor edge wear otherwise very good. 
 
Autograph note from Harry Furniss to an offical connected to the Royal Academy, apologising for a delay in replying owing to being occupied but that he will be at the Royal Academy during the week, and thanking him for a suggestion.
 
The verso bears an original self-caricature by Furniss, showing himself top-hatted and intent, captioned “I have my eye on it”, and referring to “Lot 1864”. The drawing appears to allude directly to the recipient’s suggested work, visualising Furniss as a prospective purchaser scrutinising a particular catalogue lot. 
 
Furniss was one of the leading political and social caricaturists of the late Victorian period, best known for his long association with Punch, as well as for illustrating works by Lewis Carroll.