New Haven: S. Babcock, 1840. 32mo. 16pp. A moral chapbook with many engraved illustrations throughout. The titular explanations are told from a mother to her daughter. They primarily deal with the origins and uses of various textiles, but by the end of the story they encompass all living things designed... More
York: J. Kendrew, (c. 1823). 24pp., including covers. Illustrated with fifteen woodcuts. One of the 24-page penny books published by Kendrew, which were stitched in a single gathering and then pasted into printed covers later. Often the covers were illustrated with wood engravings and verses that were not relevant to... More
New Haven: Sidney Babcock, (c. 1840). 64mo. 16pp. A near-miniature chapbook illustrated with nine woodcuts, including a frontispiece of Emma, the older sister, giving her baby sister Caroline a flower, and a title-page vignette of girls jumping rope. A tale about learning to share and being patient and kind to... More
NY: Kiggins & Kellogg, (c. 1865). 8pp. One full-page engraving and six half-page engravings. Each image is accompanied by explanatory text on the object's creation and function. Examples include a tub, a raft, and a bed. In plain paper wrappers, with advertisement for Kiggins & Kellogg at rear. Remarkably crisp... More
Portland, ME: Bailey & Noyes. 32mo. 16pp. Illustrated with woodcuts throughout. A volume filled with short, lyrical hymns aimed at simplifying and presenting moral lessons to children. The woodcuts emphasize this point of childhood learning; the largest of them, which occupies a full page, depicts a boy and a girl... More
(N.p. c. 1850). 24mo. (8)pp. Illustrated in black & white throughout. The intrigue of this booklet originates from its likely pirated content. The engravings are eclectic—an image of a rabbit is accompanied by the British royal seal and the seal of the Ancient Order of Foresters—and poorly printed. Also included... More
Concord (NH): John F. Brown, 1837. 64mo. 16pp. Engravings throughout. Descriptions, with both moral and functional value, of various objects, including a windmill, a cannon, a tent, and a barge. In printed pale orange paper wrappers. Foxed, else near fine and very scarce. Signature of former owner on title page. More
York: J. Kendrew, (c. 1820). 48mo. A collection of verses for children, illustrated throughout with woodcut vignettes on nearly every page, and a large cut of a preacher at his pulpit to the rear cover. Slight split starting to spine, else near fine in white printed wrappers. (Davis 42; Gumuchian 1577-1579). More
NY: J. P. Dinsmore, (c. 1870). 32mo. (8); (8)pp. Two pamphlets bound tete-beche and with separate publication statements. New Rhymes bears Dinsmore's imprint, while Songs for the Little Ones was printed by Seth W. Fowle & Sons in Boston. Both pamphlets are of similar structures, with poems framed by advertisements... More
NY: Kiggins & Kellogg. 64mo. 8pp. Illustrated with six woodcuts, plus a title-page vignette. The images are highly detailed for their small size—a ship at sea buffeted by rolling waves under thick clouds, and a fish at the end of a fishing line with an entire landscape scene behind it... More
New Haven: Babcock, Sidney, (1841). 24mo. 24pp. Illustrated with eight full-page wood engravings of animals, including lions, a tiger, and a bear, as well as a title-page vignette of a horse. Each illustration is accompanied by tales of encounters with these animals and sensational stories. Bound in illustrated yellow wrappers... More
New Haven: Babcock, Sidney, (c. 1840). 24mo. 24pp. A chapbook illustrated throughout with a title-page vignette, a full-page frontispiece depicting two girls who have put aside their playthings in order to read with their teacher, and five additional full-page wood engravings illustrating the rhymes. These nursery rhymes provide lessons about... More
NY: Kiggins & Kellogg, (c. 1850). 48mo. Illustrated throughout with full-page black & white engravings and smaller vignettes. This near-miniature chapbook contains a tale about American colonization and independence, told to a young audience in order to explain the significance of the July 4th holiday. Fine in printed buff wrappers. More
Wendell, MA: J. Metcalf, 1828. 16mo. 16pp. Illustrated with numerous woodcut vignettes. The text consists of two stories: that of William and Ellen, who are made to suffer a number of unfortunate mishaps as a result of the handiwork of a naughty boy, who gets his comeuppance in the end;... More
Otley, UK: William Walker, (c. 1830). 24mo. (32)pp. Twenty-eight hand-colored engravings of a variety of animals, ranging from a wolf to a peacock to an ass. In addition to its own illustration, each animal receives a full page of text describing its habitats, eating habits, and uses for humans. In... More
New Haven: Babcock, Sidney, (1841). 24mo. 24pp. Illustrated throughout with engraved vignettes and a full-page frontispiece of a mother reading with her two children. Mrs. Barbauld's famous prose hymns have been reinterpreted in verse form here by Mary Belson. Part of Babcock's "Moral, Instructive and Amusing Toy Books" series. Some... More
New Haven: Babcock, Sidney, 1834. 24mo. 36pp. A chapbook illustrated with thirteen wood engravings, including a full-page frontispiece of a mother reading with two children and a title-page vignette. A collection of Mrs. Barbauld's hymns interpreted in prose form. Barbauld was a poet and the author of several children's books... More
Troy, NY: Merriam & Moore, (c. 1830). 24mo. 12pp. Replete with engravings, including two on the verso of the title page. This story was derived from Maria Edgeworth's "Frank," a collection of children's moral tales each involving the idyllic titular child. The one presented here describes Frank's eagerness to help... More
Philadelphia: Morgan & Yeager, 1824. 12mo. 6ff. Illustrated with hand-colored wood engravings throughout. This poem formed part of a series of seven similar works collected under the title Grateful Tributes, published in London around 1812. As separate works, these titles were issued by various publishers and ascribed to different authors... More
NY: Lane & Scott, (c. 1845). 32mo. 8pp. Two half-page engravings. Published by Lane & Scott for the Sunday School Union of the Methodist Episcopal Church. The story follows a young boy's observation of a caterpillar (the "woolly bear") and the moral and spiritual lessons he learns from the encounter... More
Windsor, VT: Ide, Simeon, 1829. 24mo. 62pp. With woodcut frontispiece, five tailpieces, additional woodcut illustrations to recto and verso of rear wrapper, and a page of alphabets in two different types. Contains rules for children's behavior and much on morals and religion. This is a later, truncated edition based on... More
New York: Mahlon Day, 1832. 16mo. 18pp., including inside wrappers. Illustrated with frontispiece, title-page and two smaller vignettes, and ten half-page figures, all wood engravings. Contains the title poem, as well as "The Cradle Hymn," "Winter Evening's Amusement," and ends with "The Duties of Children." This edition also carries a.... More
Birmingham: C. Caswell, (c. 1870). (16)pp. Engraved frontispiece. A moral tale on the ills of covetousness and theft, and the corresponding rights of honesty and confession. Bound in yellow paper wrappers. Untitled hymn (first line: "Among the deepest shades of night") appears on lower cover. Scant foxing and creasing to... More
Cooperstown: H. and E. Phinney, 1834. 24mo. 31pp. The first Phinney edition of this familiar tale. With ten woodcuts, very neat indeed, and three more on the yellow wrappers. Previous young owners' names to front wrapper, wear to extremities, and some foxing to interior, else a near fine copy. More
NY: McLoughlin Bros, (c. 1873). (12)pp. A chapbook of moral songs by Isaac Watts, illustrated with four color engravings. Part of a series of "Illuminated texts for Sunday school rewards" published by McLoughlin Brothers. Minor internal soiling, previous owner's stamp to inside rear wrapper, which has offset onto last page... More
