The Street-Seller of Grease-Removing Composition, etc.

Engraved illustration based on a photograph showing a street seller of grease-removing cakes. The seller wears a peaked cap, tail coat and trousers, and is demonstrating the removal of grease from the collar of a boy dressed in a shako-style peaked cap, short jacket and trousers. His goods are displayed in an open box resting on a folding wooden stand. The cakes were made from pipe clay, ground and mixed with two colours, commonly red lead and stone blue. It had been a popular cleaning product when silk, woollen cloths and other textiles were expensive and durable, but the trade had declined and was used primarily for cleaning coat collars. The illustration was published in Henry Mayhew's 'London Labour and the London Poor: The condition of those that will work, cannot work, and will not work', Vol. 1., 'London Street-Folk', first published in 1861. No. 11 page 161.