Infant's Library. Marshall, John. No. 4 Aldermary Churchyard in Watling Street. London. 1800. Circa 1800. 16 volumes. Complete with original sycamore bookcase box divided into four compartments with original faded red paper lining. The front design depicts a glazed bookcase containing books above a scene of two children, a girl and a female adult with a book and a boy with a globe - a copy of the Infant's Library itself is on the left foreground. Original label on the back of the box, ""Sold by John Harris, successor to E.Newberry, at the corner of St. Paul's Churchyard..."" overlaying Marshall's own original printed label. With ink ownership inscription ""SM."" dated 1806.; later inscription dated September 26th 1861 ""E.A. Curteis from her Papa"" and initials ""E.A.C. 1861"" This may be the Curteis family from Tenterden in Kent. Also original invoice for this set from R.A. Brimmell ABA, of Hastings to his customer Mrs Michel in the 1960s for £400. Provenance: verso of box lid and front pastedown endpapers all have printed labels for General Catalogue of Sydney Roscoe with hand written volume numbers in each book. Roscoe wrote the first Bewick bibliography in 1953 and published an extensive article "John Marshall and the Infant's Library" in The Book Collector, Summer, 1955; the copy he describes is slightly different to this copy that he may have acquired as an upgrade. VOLUMES: All in (32)printed pages, except where stated,1. (Alphabets). 64pp. Pink boards, green labels. 2. (Syllabary - combinations of letters & simple words). Text starts on A2, p.3. 64pp.Marbled boards, yellow labels.
3. (Scenes of Everyday Life). 13 simple engraved views with descriptions. 2pp. ads for Picture Magazine & the 16th no. of the Childrens's Magazine at end. Yellow boards, pink labels. 4. (Everyday Objects). 13 woodcuts with descriptions. 2pp. ads for Picture Magazine and the 14th no. of the Children's Magazine; 1p. ad. at end for 'A Dissected Map of England
Upon a New Plan', price 7s. 6d, Green boards, pink labels. 5. (Animals). 13 woodcuts with descriptions. 2pp. ads for Picture Magazine and the 16th
no. of the Children's Magazine; 1p. at end for the Dissected map. Light green boards, pink labels, lower half of spine defective. 6. (Scenes of Everyday Life). 12 views. Ads. as (5), but advertising the 15th no. Yellow
boards, pink labels. 7. (Flowers). 12 woodcuts. Ads. as (5). Light green boards, pink labels. 8. (Birds). 12 woodcuts. 2pp. ads at front, both for the 26th no. of the Children's Magazine, 1page at end for the Dissected Map. Glazed orange boards, white labels. 9. (Boys' Games). 12 woodcuts. Ads. as (5). Light green boards, pink labels. 10. (Objects - Household Items). 14 woodcuts. Ads. as (9). Pink boards, light blue labels.11. (Scenes of Everyday Life - Architecture). 13 views. Ads. as (9) but for the 26th no. Cream boards, yellow labels. 12. (Scenes of Everyday Life). 13 views. Ads. as 11. Light Light green boards, pink label. 13. (Girls' Games). 12 woodcuts. Ads. as 11. Light green boards, cream label.14. (Scenes of Everyday Life - Rural). 13 views. Ads as 11. Pink boards, cream labels.15. (Scenes of Everyday Life - Rural II). 13 views. Ads as 11. Black glazed boards, yellow labels. 16. A Short History of England for the Infant's Library. Woodcuts of sovereigns in text. (64)pp. Lilac boards, yellow labels. An exceptional collection. in original bookcase box, in exceptional condition1800-1801. Five volumes with neatly executed contemporary sewed repairs to the spines. 47 x 60 mm. Original harlequin paper covered boards with oval hand coloured labels on the front and back covers, many with ornately cut edges. Lower half of spine defective on volume five. Welsh (History, page 74) attributed the influence of Jean Jacques Rousseau and the didactic school of philosophy in this publication - aimed to train childrens' intellect and morals. Bondy, 59-60. Spielmann, 209-224. OCLC, 8837332. WorldCat locates 15 sets worldwide. 1 firsts2024.
3. (Scenes of Everyday Life). 13 simple engraved views with descriptions. 2pp. ads for Picture Magazine & the 16th no. of the Childrens's Magazine at end. Yellow boards, pink labels. 4. (Everyday Objects). 13 woodcuts with descriptions. 2pp. ads for Picture Magazine and the 14th no. of the Children's Magazine; 1p. ad. at end for 'A Dissected Map of England
Upon a New Plan', price 7s. 6d, Green boards, pink labels. 5. (Animals). 13 woodcuts with descriptions. 2pp. ads for Picture Magazine and the 16th
no. of the Children's Magazine; 1p. at end for the Dissected map. Light green boards, pink labels, lower half of spine defective. 6. (Scenes of Everyday Life). 12 views. Ads. as (5), but advertising the 15th no. Yellow
boards, pink labels. 7. (Flowers). 12 woodcuts. Ads. as (5). Light green boards, pink labels. 8. (Birds). 12 woodcuts. 2pp. ads at front, both for the 26th no. of the Children's Magazine, 1page at end for the Dissected Map. Glazed orange boards, white labels. 9. (Boys' Games). 12 woodcuts. Ads. as (5). Light green boards, pink labels. 10. (Objects - Household Items). 14 woodcuts. Ads. as (9). Pink boards, light blue labels.11. (Scenes of Everyday Life - Architecture). 13 views. Ads. as (9) but for the 26th no. Cream boards, yellow labels. 12. (Scenes of Everyday Life). 13 views. Ads. as 11. Light Light green boards, pink label. 13. (Girls' Games). 12 woodcuts. Ads. as 11. Light green boards, cream label.14. (Scenes of Everyday Life - Rural). 13 views. Ads as 11. Pink boards, cream labels.15. (Scenes of Everyday Life - Rural II). 13 views. Ads as 11. Black glazed boards, yellow labels. 16. A Short History of England for the Infant's Library. Woodcuts of sovereigns in text. (64)pp. Lilac boards, yellow labels. An exceptional collection. in original bookcase box, in exceptional condition1800-1801. Five volumes with neatly executed contemporary sewed repairs to the spines. 47 x 60 mm. Original harlequin paper covered boards with oval hand coloured labels on the front and back covers, many with ornately cut edges. Lower half of spine defective on volume five. Welsh (History, page 74) attributed the influence of Jean Jacques Rousseau and the didactic school of philosophy in this publication - aimed to train childrens' intellect and morals. Bondy, 59-60. Spielmann, 209-224. OCLC, 8837332. WorldCat locates 15 sets worldwide. 1 firsts2024.