Kensington, London: Unpublished, 1886. 1880s home-made Victorian manuscript magazine written in London's South Kensington by the children of the Victorian theatre architect - and designer of the Pavilion at Lords Cricket Ground - Thomas Verity and their young friends. The journal runs to three substantial volumes and around six hundred pages, offering a mixture of well-written serialised stories, topical articles, puzzles, notices, numerous watercolour illustrations and accomplished cartoons. The three volumes date to 1886, 1889 and 1890. The contents are the work of the teenagers, younger adults and contributing acquaintances of 'A M Verity' of 38 Cathcart Road, South Kensington as well as friends in nearby Brechin Road. 38 Cathcart Road was the home of the theatre architect Thomas Verity (1837-1901) who also designed the several theatres in central London and it seems likely that young A M Verity was one of his younger children - his older son became a partner in the family business and artistic excellence clearly ran in the family. Each individual issue sports an illustrated frontispiece, a varied selection of articles, accomplished artwork and an index of contributors including the pseudonymous regulars Rufus, Bee, Telma, Medusa and Toby. PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION 3 volumes each bound in dark blue cloth in fair to good condition, a little bumped to corners. Volume 1 dated 1886. Volume 2 dated 1889; spine beginning to split along upper hinge with front board. Volume 3 dated 1890; sound. Spine cloths sunned, spine ends fraying throughout. Some splitting to end papers over internal hinges in volumes 2 and 3 though otherwise all very clean and sound. circa. 200 plus leaves within each volume presented on different papers in different hands and styles, densely packed with typed and hand written articles. Story titles include 'The Diamond Necklace', 'That Spy Again', 'Sopsy Wines' and 'The Boys of Weston College', all continued in instalments. All texts clearly legible and in excellent condition. c. 80 accomplished watercolours and splendid ink drawn cartoons throughout. Colours remain vibrant. These include scenes from Lugano, Boulogne, farm yard scenes, the Cow(e)s Regatta, landscape and Londonscapes and ink drawings of fancy dress ideas and cartoon strips. Competition entries are requested to be sent to A M Verity, 38 Cathcart Rd, South Kensington - the one name in these volumes that is self-evidently not a pseudonym. It was the address of the theatre architect Thomas Verity (1837-1901) who assisted in the erection of the Natural History Museum before designing the Pavilion at Lords Cricket Ground which stands to this day. A notice dated July 1890 hand written by Rufus, the magazine's driving force, announces reluctantly the final issue of the Riff Raff Paper. Please contact Christian White Rare Books Ltd for more information or images of this item 1886
