(Buchinger, Matthias) | The Wonder of the World, a possibly unique handbill

(Buchinger, Matthias)

The Wonder of the World. This is to give Notice to all Noblemen, Gentlemen, Ladies, and Others, that Matthew Buchinger, (born in Germany, without Hands or Thighs) is come to this City, and is to be seen at Mrs. Mackay's, at the Foot of Black-Friar's Wynd. [Edinburgh, 1723]

Letterpress handbill (200 x 160, irregular). Woodcut vignette of Buchinger at top, woodcut initial frame; browned and a little soiled, a few tiny losses at folds, larger loss at lower right margin not affecting text, mounted on a leaf removed from an album, with an engraving tipped to the verso ("Du Cabinet de Mr. le Duc de Choiseul," by Dunker after Ostade). 

"Alex Henderson transcribed the complete text of The Wonder of the World broadside in the April 1807 issue of The Scots Magazine, under the impression that it was unique—and I think it is likely that is the same bill now in my collection" (MB, p. 134). Jay obtained this handbill, which he, too, came to believe was unique, from an extra-illustrated copy of W. Anderson Smith's "According to Cocker": The Progress of Penmanship from the Earliest Times (Paisley, 1887) formerly in the collection of Doris L. Benz.

REFERENCE:

MB. fig 54