New York: John McLoughlin, 1860. First edition. An attractive children's chapbook with hand coloured wood engravings. Pink soft covers, with old tape reinforcement to the spine. Otherwise reasonably clean if a little darkened. Inside, are eight pages, each with a half page hand coloured illustration and half page of verse. Clean but a little darkened. Adverts for the publisher to the rear cover. Would be an excellent copy if not for the tape. 15cm x 11cm. Conforms to WorldCat / OCLC: 33100846 with the curious exception that all the records record it as "the story" rather than "history." John McLoughlin was a Scottish-born coach maker who became a prominent figure in the New York publishing industry during the 19th century. He began in 1819 after moving to New York and initially worked for the Sterling Iron Company, where he developed an interest in printing. By 1828, he had established his own printing business on Tryon Row in Manhattan, focusing on publishing semi-religious tracts for children under the title McLoughlin's Books for Children. In 1840, McLoughlin partnered with wood engraver Robert H. Elton to form Elton & Co., which specialised in toy books, comic almanacs, and valentines. His son, John McLoughlin Jr., eventually took over in 1850 when both senior partners retired. The firm of McLoughlin Brothers is listed at 24 Beekman St. in the New York directories for 1858 to 1862, McLoughlin Bros. was located at 30 Beekman St., New York, between 1863 and April, 1870. Under John Jr.'s leadership, the company became known as McLoughlin Brothers and pioneered the use of colour printing technologies, including chromolithography, for children's books. This innovation made their publications visually striking and widely popular. The McLoughlin Brothers expanded their offerings to include games, puzzles, paper dolls, and other children's products. By 1870, they had opened the largest colour printing factory in the United States. Their works often featured adaptations of British stories by illustrators such as Randolph Caldecott and Kate Greenaway. The company thrived until it was sold to Milton Bradley in 1920. Despite this transition, the McLoughlin imprint continued to produce children's books into the early 20th century.

London: The Bodley Head, 1972. A nice copy of the First Thus (English edition, with Sendak's illustrations). The dust wrapper is sound, but is slightly faded, and has a couple of small nicks to the edges of the wrapper. An old price is written to the front cover and a couple of small marks to the rear cover. The book is an attractive blue cloth with silver printed decoration. Internally clean and tidy throughout, with attractive black and white illustrations by Sendak. 110 pages. 19cm x 12.5cm.

. Un bel exemplaire de la première édition (édition anglaise, avec les illustrations de Sendak). La jaquette est en bon état, mais légèrement décolorée, et présente quelques petites entailles sur les bords. L'ancien prix est inscrit sur la couverture avant et il y a quelques petites marques sur la couverture arrière. Le livre est relié dans une jolie toile bleue avec des décorations imprimées en argent. L'intérieur est propre et soigné, avec de jolies illustrations en noir et blanc de Sendak. 110 pages. 19 cm x 12,5 cm.

New York: John McLoughlin, C 1850. First edition. Undated but before the McLoughlin Brothers imprint (see below). An acceptable only copy. Crudely sewn binding with the first and last image providing the covers (not unusual for these early McLoughlins, we have seen several examples similarly stitched). The front cover is a little darkened but overall in decent condition. Including the covers, there are 8 pages of hand coloured woodcut images with text beneath. (complete). These pages are in fairly good condition, with just a little darkening, and a touch of shaking. The binding is in danger of separating with the spine edge splitting. The hand colouring is attractively done. 18.5cm x 11.5cm.

. John McLoughlin was a Scottish-born coach maker who became a prominent figure in the New York publishing industry during the 19th century. He began in 1819 after moving to New York and initially worked for the Sterling Iron Company, where he developed an interest in printing. By 1828, he had established his own printing business on Tryon Row in Manhattan, focusing on publishing semi-religious tracts for children under the title McLoughlin's Books for Children. In 1840, McLoughlin partnered with wood engraver Robert H. Elton to form Elton & Co., which specialised in toy books, comic almanacs, and valentines. His son, John McLoughlin Jr., eventually took over in 1850 when both senior partners retired. The firm of McLoughlin Brothers is listed at 24 Beekman St. in the New York directories for 1858 to 1862, McLoughlin Bros. was located at 30 Beekman St., New York, between 1863 and April, 1870. Under John Jr.'s leadership, the company became known as McLoughlin Brothers and pioneered the use of colour printing technologies, including chromolithography, for children's books. This innovation made their publications visually striking and widely popular. The McLoughlin Brothers expanded their offerings to include games, puzzles, paper dolls, and other children's products. By 1870, they had opened the largest colour printing factory in the United States. Their works often featured adaptations of British stories by illustrators such as Randolph Caldecott and Kate Greenaway. The company thrived until it was sold to Milton Bradley in 1920. Despite this transition, the McLoughlin imprint continued to produce children's books into the early 20th century.

London: J. Davis, C1830. First edition. A small children's black and white chap book. Printed by Knight and Bagster, 14 Bartholomew Close : For J. Davis, no. 56, Paternoster-Row, A small illustrated work. 16 pages. Illustrated cover, 15 pages which have, to the lower half, poetry, and to the top half, a wood engraving. Finally a full page engraving to the rear cover. Very clean and bright. Sewn binding. It looks as it the cotton binding has been replaced fairly recently. 9cm x 6cm. Date suggested by other publications in the series. We can find no separate Worldcat listing for this work, although it did appear in a collection by Opie later.

. Première édition. Un petit livre d'enfant en noir et blanc. Imprimé par Knight and Bagster, 14 Bartholomew Close : Pour J. Davis, no. 56, Paternoster-Row. Un petit ouvrage illustré. 16 pages. Couverture illustrée, 15 pages dont la moitié inférieure contient de la poésie et la moitié supérieure une gravure sur bois. Enfin, une gravure pleine page au dos de la couverture. Très propre et brillant. Reliure cousue. Il semble que la reliure en coton ait été remplacée assez récemment. 9cm x 6cm. Date suggérée par d'autres publications de la série. Nous n'avons pas trouvé de liste Worldcat distincte pour cette œuvre, bien qu'elle soit apparue plus tard dans une collection d'Opie.

London: John Lane, 1890. First Edition Thus. Walter Crane's picture books. Large series. Re-issue. Blue stiff card covers, with red and black decoration. end papers and ten leaves, comprising six pages of text and five full colour chromolithographic illustrations on six pages (one double page) printed to one side only. Illustrated end papers. Covers are clean and tidy, with a small patch of surface scratching to the top of the front cover. Internally clean, but fractionally darkened. A very nice copy. 27cm x 23.5cm. Conforms to WorldCat / OCLC: 657124715.

. Première édition. Les livres d'images de Walter Crane. Grande série. Réédition. Couvertures en carton rigide bleu, avec des décorations rouges et noires. Papiers de fin et dix feuilles, comprenant six pages de texte et cinq illustrations chromolithographiques en couleur sur six pages (une double page) imprimées d'un seul côté. Pages de garde illustrées. Les couvertures sont propres et bien rangées, avec une petite éraflure superficielle sur le haut de la couverture. L'intérieur est propre, mais légèrement assombri. Un très bel exemplaire. 27 cm x 23,5 cm. Conforme à WorldCat / OCLC : 657124715.

London: Griffith, Farran, Okeden & Welsh, 1887. First edition. An attractive hardback illustrated poetry book produced and printed by Ernest Nister. Attractive blue hardback percaline with a gilt and silver decorative title to the front boards. Gilt titles to the spine. A little bumping and edge wear, but overall in excellent clean condition. All edges gilt. Internally in very good condition. Attractive toned photogravure / collotype to each page, adorning verses by eminent poets, some written especially for this work. There is light foxing throughout the work. A lovely piece of end of the century illustration. Unpaginated but approximately 80 pages. 23cm x 18cm. Conforms to WorldCat / OCLC: 21369175.

. Première édition. Un beau livre de poésie illustré à couverture rigide, produit et imprimé par Ernest Nister. Belle couverture rigide en percale bleue avec titre décoratif doré et argenté sur le plat avant. Titres dorés sur le dos. Quelques chocs et usure sur les bords, mais dans l'ensemble en excellent état. Toutes les tranches sont dorées. Intérieur en très bon état. Jolie photogravure / collotypie sur chaque page, illustrant des vers d'éminents poètes, certains écrits spécialement pour cet ouvrage. Légères rousseurs sur l'ensemble de l'ouvrage. Une belle illustration de la fin du siècle. Non paginé, mais environ 80 pages. 23 cm x 18 cm. Conforme à WorldCat / OCLC : 21369175.

London: George Routledge & Sons, 1878. First edition first state. Original pictorial cloth in blue and green with walking / dancing children. First issue with all of the first issue points. No printer's ornaments to title page, "London Engraved & Printed at Raquet Court by Edmund Evans" to [p.6] without illustration of young boy. With "End of Contents" to page 14. Pictures on page 21, 35 & 63 were dropped from later editions. Overall, this is in very nice condition, with just a little darkening to the pages and covers. The exception being page 49/50, which has seemingly been detached at some point. There is darkening and chipping to the page edges (see photo). A little edgewear to page 63/64 also. A touch of rubbing to the board edges. Owner's signature (stating 1878) for the half title. 64 pages. 240 x 190 mm (9½ x 7½ inches). Schuster and Engen 201-7a. (p105). This was Greenaway's "breakout" book, which made her famous.

. Première édition, premier état. Reliure illustrée originale en tissu bleu et vert représentant des enfants marchant/dansant. Premier tirage avec toutes les caractéristiques du premier tirage. Pas d'ornements d'imprimeur sur la page de titre, « London Engraved & Printed at Raquet Court by Edmund Evans » à la page 6 sans illustration du jeune garçon. Avec « Fin du contenu » à la page 14. Les illustrations des pages 21, 35 et 63 ont été supprimées des éditions ultérieures. Dans l'ensemble, cet ouvrage est en très bon état, avec juste un léger noircissement des pages et de la couverture. À l'exception des pages 49/50, qui semblent avoir été détachées à un moment donné. Les bords des pages sont noircis et ébréchés (voir photo). Les pages 63/64 présentent également une légère usure sur les bords. Les bords de la couverture sont légèrement frottés. 64 pages. 240 x 190 mm (9½ x 7½ pouces). Schuster et Engen 201-7a. (p. 105). Cet ouvrage a révélé Greenaway et l'a rendue célèbre.

the Netherlands: N. P, C1950. First edition. Title page and four linen covered pages (including the rear cover). The inside flap has five skeins of coloured wool wrapped around it. The introductory verse (in Dutch) tells how easy it is to cut a page out and to use the wool to make a picture. It is clear from inside the book that one image has been cut out, and it would seem, was embroidered mainly in blue thread! The covers are browned and marked, and there is some foxing to it. Inside, mainly clean, but with a touch of marking here also. Altogether, and attractive, if incomplete piece of children's book history. 23cm x 18cm.

, Page de titre et quatre pages recouvertes de lin (y compris la couverture arrière). Le rabat intérieur est entouré de cinq écheveaux de laine colorée. Le poème d'introduction (en néerlandais) explique à quel point il est facile de découper une page et d'utiliser la laine pour créer une image. À l'intérieur du livre, on voit clairement qu'une image a été découpée et, semble-t-il, brodée principalement avec du fil bleu ! Les couvertures sont brunies et marquées, et présentent quelques rousseurs. L'intérieur est principalement propre, mais présente également quelques marques. Dans l'ensemble, il s'agit d'un ouvrage attrayant, bien qu'incomplet, de l'histoire du livre pour enfants.

Paris: Librairie Delagrave, 1934. Second edition. Hardback rebind in dark blue buckram with blue paper covered boards. Boards in very good condition, apart from one scratch / scrape along bottom of front board. Very clean inside. With many full-page colour illustrations on glossy feel paper, plus b/w in-text illustrations throughout - all by JOB. 160 pages. 320 x 250 mm (12½ x 9¾ inches). Deuxième édition. Reliure cartonnée en bougran bleu foncé avec des planches couvertes de papier bleu. Les planches sont en très bon état, à l'exception d'une éraflure au bas de la première planche. L'intérieur est très propre. Avec de nombreuses illustrations en couleur pleine page sur papier glacé, plus des illustrations en noir et blanc dans le texte - toutes par JOB. 160 pages. 320 x 250 mm