In 1869 a journalist called Blanchard Jerrold joined forces with the famous French artist Gustave Doré to create an illustrated record of London.

Night and day, this duo explored the city, going from poverty-stricken slums to royal palaces. The book, first published in parts, was called London: A Pilgrimage, and it contained 180 wood engravings. Published in 1872, it was slammed by critics for focusing on the worst aspects of London and for factual inaccuracies but Doré illustrations were stunning and it became a bestseller.

Today a first edition of Doré’s London costs thousands while a later edition costs hundreds, but modern reprints can be found for under $30.