AINSWORTH (William Harrison) Jack Sheppard. A romance. London: Richard Bentley, 1839. - 3 volumes in-8, dark green morocco, triple gilt fillet framing the boards, ornate ribbed spine, three gilt fillets inside, gilt head, untrimmed (L. Broca). First edition of this historical novel by English novelist William Harrison Ainsworth (1805-1882), based on the life of the famous 18th-century English brigand Jack Sheppard (1702-1724) and introducing the quasi-historical anti-hero thief Jonathan Wild and the entirely fictional hero Thames Darrell. This edition is highly sought-after not only for its text, but also for its illustrations, which include a portrait of the author engraved by William Greatbach (1792-1878) after Richard James Lane (1800-1872) and, above all, 27 plates by British illustrator and caricaturist George CRUIKSHANK (1792-1878), 5 of which present a succession of small scenes in comic-book style. A precious copy in full posterior morocco, signed by Lucien Broca (1839-1910), a French bookbinder but active in England, COMPRISING ALL 27 CRUIKSHANK PLATES IN TWO CONDITIONS, in black and in color. Spine faded, two corners slightly dented. Provenance: Paul Menso, with bookplate. - Heraldic bookplate.