[Joseph William Allen, landscape painter.] Autograph Letter Signed ('J. W. Allen') to his pupil the artist Edward John Cobbett

2pp., 4to. Aged and creased, mounted in windowpane on leaf removed from album. Liscard Hall was built for the former Mayor of Liverpool and slave-ship captain Sir John Tobin. Allen writes that since arriving there he has 'painted too little subjects', and that he has 'a wish' to 'leave them behind me - but not unframed - size of Pictures 16in: x 12in:' If Cobbett does not have 'two tolerable frames of that size' he asks him to order two: 'I do not require the "best double distilled - extra hyper - superfine" - but something tolerably good looking'. He asks for letters to be addressed to him at 'Mr W. Bright's| 11 Covent Garden | Liverpool'. He complains that he has made few sketches, as the weather has been 'either wet or blazing hot in this neighbourhood'. He concludes: 'I want to start for the north of Yorkshire but am desirous of seeing these things finished in their frames before I am off'.