Stories for Little Boys. An Amusing Book for the Moral Improvement of Children.
Guben, [Germany]: F. Fechner, [n.d., ca. 1840]. First edition of this uncommon German imprint in English. With twelve charming hand-colored lithograph plates showing various kinds of boys (“The Young Sailor,” “The Little Scholar,” etc.). Contemporary cream ripple-grained cloth over card wrappers. Cloth elaborately decorated in gilt and red. Contemporary cream ripple-grained cloth over card wrappers. Cloth elaborately decorated in gilt and red. Twelvemo. 12 ff. (printed one side only). Item #17151
Many of the brief moral stories focus on boys at work, like “The Little Pastry-Cook” and “The Little Apprentice.” The plate of the apprentice shows a boy in a work apron apprenticed with a cabinetmaker. “The Little Scholar” is a boy named Edward, “a very intelligent and active scholar, but as fond of play as most children. His mother said to him: ‘My son, study hard, and attend properly to your book; your mother’s happiness and your own…depends upon your diligence and abilities,” (p. 12).
OCLC records nine copies.
Price: $750.00