Cycling / Prehistory / Draisienne / Hobby-Horse - Lot 53

Cycling / Prehistory / Draisienne / Hobby-Horse Set of 5 English engravings on the first steps of the Drais machine, the draisienne. Set in color, signed by William Heath or Charles Williams (active between 1797 and 1840), they are all published-engraved-edited by the master Thomas Tegg (1776-1845) 27.5 x 41 - 27.5 x 42 cm (small tears) Crossing the English Channel, the Draisienne became a Hobby-Horse in 1819, still propelled by sole power (except for ladies, a pedal-boat system). These scenes of disheveled racing (Epping Hunt), dandy telescoping (Hobbies or Attitude is every Thing), match against a horse (Match against time or Wood beats Blood and bone), variation on Shakespeare's work (My Kingdom for a horse becomes obsolete), and feminization (The Ladies Hobby) give an idea of this new grip on life. Suite numbers 338, 343, 344, 347 and 35 (April 4 - May 22, 1819)