‘Frost Fair’ broadside souvenir – £1900 at Dominic Winter.
They were printed as souvenirs on February 9, 1739, at a time when all sorts of games and entertainments, even temporary public houses had been set up on the river’s thickly frozen surface to amuse and divert the public.
The verses that appear above the purchaser’s name on these broadside souvenirs begin “Behold the liquid Thames now frozen o’er / That lately ships of mighty Burden bore / Here Watermen for want to row in boats /Make use of booze to get them Pence and Groats…”
That illustrated above is made out for a Mr Samuell Mugeridge and sold for £1900, while a second such broadside, made out for a John Mugeridge realised £1400 at the auction on December 11-12.
