Pickpockets Collection

The character Oliver Twist
5308168 The character Oliver Twist.; (add.info.: Illustration depicting the character Oliver Twist: Oliver, unhappily apprenticed to the under-taker Sowerby)

The character Oliver Twist
5308166 The character Oliver Twist.; (add.info.: Illustration depicting the character Oliver Twist: Oliver has been restored to Fagin and the boys by Bill Sykes and Nancy)

The division of the robbery, at the Court of St. James, London, after a work by Isaac Cruikshank, 1796
1000899 The division of the robbery, at the Court of St. James, London, after a work by Isaac Cruikshank, 1796. From Illustrierte Sittengeschichte vom Mittelalter bis zur Gegenwart by Eduard Fuchs

The character Oliver Twist
5308167 The character Oliver Twist.; (add.info.: Illustration depicting the character Oliver Twist: after having escaped from Fagin and his thieving boys)

The character Oliver Twist
5308170 The character Oliver Twist.; (add.info.: Illustration depicting the character Oliver Twist: Oliver pleading with the Magistrate not to allow the Parish to apprentice him to a chimney sweep)

The character Oliver Twist
5308169 The character Oliver Twist.; (add.info.: Illustration depicting the character Oliver Twist: Mr Brownlow visiting Oliver's sickroom to see how he progresses)

The character Oliver Twist
5308165 The character Oliver Twist.; (add.info.: Illustration depicting the character Oliver Twist: Oliver is injured when being forced by Bill Sykes to carry out a burglary)

The division of the robbery. In St. Giles, London criminal district, after a work by Isaac Cruikshank, 1796
1000898 The division of the robbery. In St. Giles, London criminal district, after a work by Isaac Cruikshank, 1796. From Illustrierte Sittengeschichte vom Mittelalter bis zur Gegenwart by Eduard

Children being taught to pickpocket (etching)
3245405 Children being taught to pickpocket (etching) by British School, (19th century); Private Collection; Peter Newark Pictures

Pickpocket captured by police, early 19th century (engraving)
3245439 Pickpocket captured by police, early 19th century (engraving) by Cruikshank, George (1792-1878); Private Collection; Peter Newark Pictures; English, out of copyright

The ROBBING Hood Debating Society, pub S. Tipper, 1st January 1809
2494103 The ROBBING Hood Debating Society, pub S. Tipper, 1st January 1809 (hand coloured engraving) by Gillray, James (1757-1815); Private Collection; The Stapleton Collection; English

Leaves from the Derby Day (engraving)
1613745 Leaves from the Derby Day (engraving) by Ralston, William (1848-1911) (after); Private Collection; (add.info.: Leaves from the Derby Day)

The Idle Prentice at Play in the Church Yard During Divine Service
GHL205228 The Idle Prentice at Play in the Church Yard During Divine Service, plate III of Industry and Idleness, published 1833 (engraving) by Hogarth

People visiting the Monkey House at London Zoo. Date: circa 1900s

Oliver Twist
LLM454870 Oliver Twist by Cruikshank, George (1792-1878) (after); Private Collection; (add.info.: Oliver Twist. Illustration for English Literature by Richard Garnett and Edmund Gosse (Heinemann)

A Lawsuit (w / c)
6199877 A Lawsuit (w/c) by Anderson, Martin " Cynicus" (1854-1932); 15.8x20.6 cm; The McManus, Dundee, UK; Dundee Art Galleries and Museums; Scottish, out of copyright

As I read over the lives of these robbers and pickpockets, strange doubts began to arise in my mind about virtue
3094318 As I read over the lives of these robbers and pickpockets, strange doubts began to arise in my mind about virtue and crime (colour litho) by Sullivan

Instantaneous Photography and its Results (engraving)
1060966 Instantaneous Photography and its Results (engraving) by Ralston, William (1848-1911) (after); Private Collection; (add.info.: Instantaneous Photography and its Results)

The Idle Prentice at Play in the Church Yard, During Divine Service
1071411 The Idle Prentice at Play in the Church Yard, During Divine Service, 1747 (engraving) by Hogarth, William (1697-1764); 26.4x34.6 cm; Dallas Museum of Art, Texas

The Idle Prentice at Play in the Church Yard During Divine Service
STC451134 The Idle Prentice at Play in the Church Yard During Divine Service, plate III of Industry and Idleness, illustration from Hogarth Restored

They are altogether lighter than vanity (engraving)
728813 They are altogether lighter than vanity (engraving) by English School, (18th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: They are altogether lighter than vanity)

The ROBBING Hood Debating Society, 1809
The ROBBING Hood Debating Society, pub S. Tipper Jan 1st 1809

Illustration depicting the character Oliver Twist

The Thieves Kitchen. Oliver Is Shown "how It Is Done". "The Merry Old Gentleman And The Two Boys Played
The Thieves Kitchen. Oliver Is Shown " how It Is Done". " The Merry Old Gentleman And The Two Boys Played A Very Curious And Uncommon Game

Master Bates explains a professional technicality, from The Adventures of Oliver
KW243066 Master Bates explains a professional technicality, from The Adventures of Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens (1812-70) 1838, published by Chapman & Hall, 1901 (engraving) by Cruikshank

Oliver introduced to the respectable old gentleman, from The Adventures of Oliver
KW243062 Oliver introduced to the respectable old gentleman, from The Adventures of Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens (1812-70) 1838, published by Chapman & Hall, 1901 (engraving) by Cruikshank

Billiards Illustrated - Trying for the pocket - A youthful pickpocket has a rummage through an elderly gentlemans trouser pocket whist he browses some titles on a bookstall. Date: circa 1903

Pickpocket School
Lessons on how to pickpocket. A gang of pickpockets plagued Berlin in 1906, using old techniques to steal from members of the public

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"Unveiling the Shadows: A Glimpse into the World of Pickpockets" Step back in time as we explore a captivating era where pickpockets roamed the streets, leaving their mark on history. From children being taught this nefarious art to Mary Frith, an infamous figure immortalized in engravings, these glimpses reveal a society teeming with secrets. Intriguingly captured by early 19th-century engravings, witness the moment when justice triumphs over cunning as police capture a pickpocket red-handed. Meanwhile, "The ROBBING Hood Debating Society" invites us to ponder the moral dilemmas surrounding theft and its societal impact. Leaves from the Derby Day transport us to bustling crowds unaware of nimble fingers seeking fortune amidst chaos. The audacity reaches new heights as even church yards become playgrounds for idle prentices at play during divine service - a testament to both audacity and desperation. Venturing beyond city limits, we find ourselves among curious spectators visiting London Zoo's Monkey House; perhaps finding solace in observing mischievous creatures rather than engaging in illicit activities themselves. Literature too has immortalized these rogues; Oliver Twist's tale echoes through generations, reminding us of Dickens' masterful portrayal of life on London's gritty streets. In contrast, "A Lawsuit" whispers tales of legal battles fought by those caught up in this web of crime. As our journey unfolds through color lithographs depicting robbers and pickpockets' lives intertwined with virtue and crime itself, strange doubts arise within our minds. Can one truly separate good from evil when circumstances dictate survival? Finally, we encounter "Instantaneous Photography and its Results, " showcasing how technology captures fleeting moments that expose hidden truths behind seemingly innocent facades. Join us as we delve into this intriguing world where shadows dance between right and wrong – revealing not only the dark underbelly of society but also the complex human nature that lies within us all.