ABC - CRAWHALL, Joseph. Old Aunt Elspa's ABC. We'll soon learn to read, Then - how clever we'll be. Field & Tuer, Ye Leadenhalle Presse, E.C. 1884
Landscape small 4to.; publisher's wrappers with numerous woodcut vignettes, printed in black, adorning both panels, with red One Penny stamp to lower cover as required, edges untrimmed, as issued; pp. 21 + [3, advertisements] and printed inner covers; with numerous woodcuts by Crawhall illustrating the letters of the alphabet (K for Keepsake, a Kiss, Key, and Kick; L Stands for Latin and Lessons, and Lick; M for Mischielf and Monkey, Mend, Manners, and Map; N For Noisy and Naughty, Nest, Nursery, Nap"; a remarkably fresh survival, externally very good indeed, internally remarkably clean throughout with only very minor and very faint foxing to inner gutter of centre leaves, without ownership inscription.
First edition, issued "Price One Shilling" (or "Coloured throughout Two-And-Sixpence"). "If one places them [the two Aunt Elspa books] in the company of Walter Crane's toy books, Kate Greenaway's pleasantries of sentimentality and Randolph Caldecott's colourful evocations of the past, they contrast startlingly and effectively" (Felver).
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