(1683/4 - 1758)
George Bickham, engraver and writing-master, was praised by Joseph Champion for his ability to transfer a design onto a copper printing plate without tracing it first, therefore producing a more faithful copy of the original. Bickham worked on his most important publication, ‘The Universal Penman’, with John Bickham (active 1730-50), who may have been his brother. The publication was sold in 52 parts from Bickham’s house in Islington. It included the work of 25 contemporary writing-masters, reproduced in 212 Plates. The Plates were embellished with decorations around the edges, added by both Bickham himself and George Bickham Junior (c.1704-1771), his son.
