With Some Rather Curious Illustrations

[Various Artists]

[CHILDREN'S BOOK PRINTED ON LINEN] Peek-A-Boo I See You (cover title) / Little Peek-A-Boo's Jingle Book

England (?): 1880-1900 (?). Small 4to (250 x 194 mm). [20] pp. printed on glazed linen, color printed text and illustrations throughout. Color printed wrappers backed with red cloth, with text and illustrations on both sides, affixed with three staples as issued. On front cover: a young child looking into (or through?) an aquarium; on back cover: 4 children on the bank of a river, one of whom is seated in a rowboat. Thumbing and signs of considerable use by small (and large) hands, covers are soiled and worn (SEE IMAGES). Very good. Item #4432

RARE CHILDREN'S BOOK PRINTED ON LINEN, THE COVERS OF WHICH FEATURE UNSETTLING RENDERINGS OF CHILDREN'S FACES. WHILE THE PRESENT PUBLICATION IS LIKELY ENGLISH, WE DRAW ATTENTION TO CERTAIN SIMILARITIES WITH THE STRANGE AND WONDERFUL ILLUSTRATIONS PUBLISHED IN AMERICA BY THE IMMORTAL MCLOUGHLIN BROTHERS.

We suggest that the book dates from 1880 to 1900 and was published in England, based on the illustrators who contributed to it, and the selections of the rhymes, one of which ("On the Fence") mentions London four times. The names of the illustrators include: Ernest Griset (d. London 1907); E.J. Walker (English, active 1878-1886), and the English wood engraver Paul Jonnard (1840-1902); unidentified monograms include "LL" "HJR" and "AH" are found on others. Some of the illustrations appear to have been inspired by (or copied from?) Kate Greenaway's great work.

Not in JISC Library Hub Discover. Worldcat locates just two copies worldwide: Univ. Kansas Kearney and Univ. Minn. (although claiming "5" copies exist, only two are actually identified).

Price: $450.00