1812 Collection

Dickens / Empty Chair
HIS HOME AT GADSHILL His desk and empty chair after his death, dated 9 June 1870

French uniforms during the Napoleonic Wars
French army uniforms: infantry 1814-1825, grenadier 1812-1815, and cavalry 1805-1812. Antique hand-colored print

Dickens & his Creations
Charles Dickens Writer

Battle of Lake Erie, War of 1812
British and American ships engaged in the Battle of Lake Erie, 1813. Hand-colored woodcut of a 19th-century illustration

Charles Dickens / Bibby s
Charles Dickens Writer

Charles Dickens
CHARLES DICKENS English writer, at his writing desk, circa 1860

GERRYMANDER CARTOON, 1812. The Gerry-Mander! Cartoon comment, 1812, by Elkanah Tisdale on the action of Governor Elbridge Gerry

EVNT2A-00196
Oliver H. Perrys note proclaiming his Lake Erie victory: " We have met the enemy and they are ours." Woodcut with watercolor wash

EVNT2A-00053
Marshal Ney bringing the French rear-guard out of Russia with heavy losses, 1812. Hand-colored engraving of a 19th century painting

Little Turtle / Miami
Chief of the Miami tribe who led a number of raids on settlers in the Northwest Territory. He was forced to sign the Treaty of Greenville in 1795

EVNT2A-00079
USS " Constitution" being towed by the crew in rowboats away from the becalmed British Navy, War of 1812 Hand-colored woodcut of a 19th century illustration

Crew of the USS Constitution in battle, War of 1812
Deck of the US frigate " Constitution" engaging in battle with British " Guerriere, " War of 1812. Hand-colored woodcut of a 19th-century illustration

Sergeant - Royal North British Dragoons (Scots Greys). Painting by Malcolm Greensmith

Napoleonic War Cartoon
NAPOLEON OVER-REACHES HIMSELF He makes a giant stride from the Peninsula to Russia - but this time he has gone too far

The Battle of Austerlitz on December 2, 1805. Artist: Gerard, Francois Pascal Simon (1770-1837)
The Battle of Austerlitz on December 2, 1805. Found in the collection of Musee de l Histoire de France, Chateau de Versailles

Fort Dearborn on the Chicago River, 1812
Fort Dearborn on the site of present-day Chicago, 1812. Hand-colored woodcut of a 19th-century illustration

Beethoven
Ludwig van Beethoven in 1812. Digitally colored engraving of a drawing by Louis Latronne

Napoleonic War - Hussar of the French 7th Hussars

Charles Dickens, by Andre Gill, 1868
Engraved caricature of Charles Dickens (1812-1870), the English writer, produced by the French artist, Andre Gill, first published in 1868

Bleak House, Broadstairs, Kent, England. This building has great literary associations, for it was here that Charles Dickens lived and wrote " David Copperfield" etc

Battle of Salamanca
Wellington decisively defeats the French under Marmont at Salamanca, destroying the French army at relatively little cost

Peninsula War: Badajoz
PENINSULA WAR British troops under Wellington and General Picton, storm the garrison at Badajoz

Pickwick Papers, Who are you, you rascal? said the captain, administering
Pickwick Papers, " Who are you, you rascal?" said the captain, administering several pokes to Mr. Pickwicks body with the thick stick. " Whats your name?"

USA, California, Northern California, North Coast, Fort Ross, Fort Ross State Historic Park, site of Russian trading colony established in 1812, Russian Orthodox Church

Gads Hill House
The fine red brick house at Gads Hill, near Rochester, Kent. It was here that Charles Dickens died on 9 June 1870, while writing his novel " Edwin Drood"

Alexander Herzen
ALEXANDER HERZEN Russian revolutionary, editor and writer, son of nobleman, exiled in the west, espoused socialist principles

Napoleon at Moscow
He watches Moscow burn

Edward Lear (British, 1812 - 1888), View of Ceriana, 1870, pen and brown ink over graphite

Samuel Smiles Vanity Fr
SAMUEL SMILES Scottish author, best known for his book Self-Help of 1859

Robert Browning / Quinnell
ROBERT BROWNING Colour portrait

Maps / Pacific Ocean
Map of the Pacific Ocean on Mercators projection

Napoleon Bonaparte on the Borodino Hights, 1897. Artist: Vereshchagin, Vasili Vasilyevich (1842-1904)
Napoleon Bonaparte on the Borodino Hights, 1897. Found in the collection of the State Borodino War and History Museum, Moscow

Letter of marque issued by President James Madison for the privateer ship Abaellino of Boston, Massachusetts
LETTER OF MARQUE, 1812. Letter of marque issued by President James Madison for the privateer ship Abaellino of Boston, Massachusetts, during the War of 1812

EVNT2A-00086
USS frigate " Chesapeake" engaging the British ship " Shannon, " War of 1812. Hand-colored woodcut of a 19th century illustration

Star-spangled banner, the 15-star US flag
Fifteen-star US flag (1794-1819) over Fort Moultrie, Charleston, South Carolina. Digital photograph

Napoleonic War - Grenadier of the French Imperial Guard

The Grave of Charles Dickens, Westminster Abbey, 1870
Engraving showing a large group of Victorian visitors to Westminster Abbey crowding round the grave of Charles Dickens (1812-1870), to pay their last respects to the English writer

The military council in the village of Fili near Moscow on September 13th, 1812, 1882. Found in the collection of the State Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow

Squalus maximus, Basking shark taken at Brighton 5 Dec 1812
Watercolour and ink

Napoleon / Moscow Retreat
The French retreat from Moscow Date: 1812

MAP OF EUROPE, c1812. A 19th century German map of Europe during the reign of Napoleon I, c1812

USS Constitution Fighting The HMS Guerriere In The War Of 1812
USS Constitution vs HMS Guerriere in the War of 1812

Independence of Argentina. Belgrano, Manuel (1770-1820)
Independence of Argentina. Manuel Belgrano (1770-1820). Argentine military. The first flag of Argentina presented to the revolutionary army by General Belgrano on February 27, 1812. Colored engraving

Colored engraved title page by Ludwig Grimm to the first edition of Jacob and Wilhelm Grimms Kinder-und Hausmarchen
GRIMMs FAIRY TALES. Colored engraved title page by Ludwig Grimm to the first edition of Jacob and Wilhelm Grimms Kinder-und Hausmarchen, 1812-1815

ILLINOIS: FORT DEARBORN. Fort Dearborn, on the site of Chicago, Illinois, as it looked in 1812. Wood engraving, 19th century

Jeremy Benthams Panopticon
Jeremy Benthams proposed panopticon workhouse or industry house for up to 2000 inmates. The scheme, published in Benthams 1812 work Pauper Management Improved

Edmund Pendleton Gaines
EDMUND PENDLETON GAINES American military commander who served in the 1812 war, the Seminole war, the Mexican war, the Black Hawk war etc

Jullien / Cruikshank / 1852
LOUIS-ANTOINE JULLIEN Satire on the popularity of the French musician and the concerts which he conducted in Britain from 1840 to 1859

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"1812: A Dickensian Tale of Empty Chairs and Literary Creations" Step into the world of Charles Dickens as we explore the captivating year of 1812. In this era, where empty chairs hold untold stories, Dickens' imagination thrived. From his beloved characters to the historic events that shaped his writing, let us embark on a journey through time. At Bibby's bookstore, young Charles Dickens found solace in literature, immersing himself in tales that would later inspire his own creations. As he delved into books amidst rows of empty chairs, little did he know that one day he would become a literary legend. Meanwhile, across the Atlantic Ocean, the War raged on. The Battle of Lake Erie marked a turning point in this conflict between Britain and America. French uniforms from the Napoleonic Wars adorned soldiers on both sides as they fought for their nations' honor. The echoes of history resonated with Dickens as he penned his novels years later. The Battle of Austerlitz painted by Gerard depicted Napoleon's triumphs during these tumultuous times - an image that surely influenced Dickens' storytelling prowess. In another realm entirely, political cartoons emerged as powerful tools for commentary and satire. Elkanah's "Gerry-Mander. " cartoon captured the spirit of gerrymandering prevalent during this period - a practice still relevant today. As we reflect upon 1812 through archival images such as EVNT2A-00196 or EVNT2A-00053 depicting significant moments like battles or everyday life during war-torn Europe; it becomes evident how deeply intertwined history and art truly are. So join us in unraveling the enigmatic tapestry woven by Charles Dickens and his contemporaries in 1812. Let us celebrate their contributions to literature while acknowledging how historical events shaped their narratives – forever leaving an indelible mark on our collective consciousness.