November 2025 - new print located on ebay!!

The following print was on offer at the beginning of November on ebay and I was lucky enough to acquire it.

Image courtesy of frachar_61, with kind permission.

This Antique Hand-Coloured Lithograph – The Alphington Ponies (Durnford Sisters) is 26 cm  x  34 cm (Mount Size:  W 29 cm  x  H 35.5 cm). Offered as:

Rare original hand-coloured lithograph, published c.1830s–40s by W. Poulton of Torquay and printed by C. Hullmandel. Depicts the famous Alphington Ponies (Durnford Sisters), the twins from Alphington, near Exeter, who became a celebrated curiosity in Victorian Devon. Scarce piece of social history 

The imprint reads: Published by W Poulton, Lawrence Place, Torquay. The printer´s signature reads: Printed by C Graf, London. There is no artist or engraver noted.

Many Torquay residents will have seen this engraving on facebook posts. It shows Webb´s Hotel, at the Strand.  However from 1810 it was known as Poulton´s Hotel, and William Poulton was the manager. It became Poulton´s Royal Hotel after Princess Victoria visited in 1833. In 1834 Poulton was succeeded by Mr Batt, and it was not until 1838 that it became Webb´s Hotel. In Henry Besley´s engraving (by Townsend 1853) the Durnford Sisters can be seen in the foreground. This print only appeared in one single version of Besley´s Route Book of Devon.
Ian Maxted lists William Poulton as follows:
Torquay. Poulton, William. 1840-1852. Pianofore tuner and repairer and music seller. 4, Vaughan Parade 1840d-1844d; 3, Lawrence Place 1848d-1852d. Secretary of Torquay Reading Society 1840d. Agent for Religious Tract Society 1848d. Imprints: single prints . 
but Poulton was listed as Bookseller and Stationer in White´s directory of 1850. Besides this print, he published a lithograph of Tor Church, Torquay, c.1840 (Somers Cocks: c1840: 3120).
M Twyman mentions Charles Graf in connection with the company of
Engelmann, Graf, Coindet & Co.. This was the London branch of Godefroy Engelmann's lithographic printing and publishing business. It was shortlived: it opened in 1826 and closed in 1830. During this period it executed one sketch map of north Devon for John Banfield (Batten K, entry Banfield 1). Graf continued working and many of his prints are held by the National Portrait Museum and at the Victoria and Albert Museum.
Sources:
Exeter Working Papers: https://bookhistory.blogspot.com/2014/07/devon-book-trades-torquay.html

M. Twyman, Lithography 1800-1850, London 1970, pp.132 & 225; M. Twyman, A Directory of London lithographic printers 1800-1850 (1976), p.31-2.)

Batten K; Tourist Maps of Devon.