1833. Single year brass calendar medal, 39 mm in diametre, with central shield shaped calendar table of Sundays in each month, with Dominical Letter and surrounding inscriptions giving date of calendar, law terms and date and time of eclipses, with on the obverse a central portrait of George IV surrounded by concentric panels giving principle feasts days of the year and noting new and full moons; a little burnished with some small areas of staining. A nice, bright example, though unsigned, of a pocket calendar medal, of particular appeal featuring as it does the portrait of William IV. Such pocket aide-mémoires found widespread popularity during the late 18th and early 19th centuries, with noted makers such as John Powell and Peter Kempson (1755-1824), both originally button-makers from Birmingham, amongst the most prolific coin and token manufacturers. Neither ever featured a monarch’s portrait however, making the present example more unusual.
The obverse provides the calendar table, as well as noting both sun and moon eclipses, and noting the law terms: Hillary Term Jan 11 to Jan 31; Easter Apr. 15 to May 8; Trinity May 22 to June 12; Michls Nov 2 to Nov 25.
The obverse features a bust facing right of Willian IV ‘King of Great Brit.’ and is surounded with three concentric circles noting the main feast days of the year, and noting the New and Full moons.
Coin auctions point to this being possibly the work of Halliday (1771-1844), and though we have not been able to compare visually, the present examples certainly bears strong similarities to examples by him held at the British Museum. ‘Medallist, token-engraver, manufacturer of buttons, studs, Halliday originally worked at Soho Mint before setting up own business, first at Islington Row and Ann Street, then at 69 Newhall Street for some 30 years until his death. He is considered to have produced some of the best commemorative medals of national and personal events, including Reform, Anti-Slavery and Public Institution medals. ‘With Thomas Halliday, the design of the calendar medal, basically unaltered since 1742, underwent a considerable change. The square calendar table on the obverse becomes shield-shaped with the law terms arranged along edge and the lunar table and the memorable dates alongside it are replaced by a circular arrangement. For the first time a portrait bust of the British monarch appears in the centre on the reverse, firstly of George IV and from 1830 of William IV’ ‘Silke Ackermann, Maths and Memory, Calendar Medals in the British Museum, Part I, The Medal, no. 45, Autumn 2004, p. 41.

1817. Small folio, together with partial set of original bone counters; Text: pp. 52; with engraved ‘Table of General Questions’ facing p. 23, and 14 engraved double-page maps mounted on stubs, (several designed by Gaultier’s pupil Wauthier) either fully hand-coloured or coloured in outline, comprised of seven ‘plain’ outline maps, 6 accompanying duplicate annotated maps, a final annotated map of the World showing Western and Eastern Hemisphere; paper a little browned throughout due to paper quality, with some further light foxing and soiling and some sporadic ink staining to outer margins, lower margins of pp. 7-14 with taped repairs to tears, with several of the plates also with taped repairs at both head and tail on blank verso, though sometimes a little crude (plate 1), with plate 4 and 14 with repairs along inner gutter of plate itself, which whilst not ideal, are less obtrusive than they could be; together with 66 (of 389?) of the original bone counters each with printed label giving question number and the answer, some soiling but otherwise very good; bound in half red roan contemporary grey boards, with oval engraved label on upper cover, spine in compartments ruled in gilt, label soiled with some ink staining, covers darkened and scuffed, extremities bumped and rubbed, and corners worn; with ownership signature of ‘Miss Hyder’ and ‘Sarah Hyder’ on front free endpaper both dated 1820; counters housed within the original marbled paper lidded box, with printed label ‘Descriptive Counters for the Geographical Game of Europe’, boxed quite dust-soiled and stained with wear to corners, but holding firm; a bright copy of a work that was no doubt subject to frequent rough handling and use. A bright copy of this new edition of Gaultier’s popular geographical question and answer game for children, first published in 1792, and offered together with an extremely rare and contemporary partial set of counters. This is the first copy we have handled to be accompanied by any counters, and indeed we have so far been unable to locate any other existing set. Contained within a box labelled ‘Descriptive Counters for the Geographical Game of Europe’, some 66 of the presumed 389 counters have survived, which as the note on the title-page notes have marked upon them, ‘the names of Kingdoms, Provinces, Islands, Seas, Rivers, etc.... that Pupils may themselves explain and point out their situation on the map’. A separate box of plain counters was to be used for rewards and forfeits. These descriptive counters related to Part I ‘The Game of Simple Geography’ (pp. 7-18), comprised of twenty-nine lessons and 389 questions, and were to be put into a bag by the instructor. The player to his right would then draw one out ‘and then to point out on the plain map, the place named... (If the pupil points it right, he gets a [plain] counter: if wrong, he forfeits one to the Instructor, who makes him perceive his faults clearly by means of the written map). The Instructor is then to put to his pupil the question which in the Game corresponds with the number’. (p. 6) The earliest numbered counter is 3, with the latest being 381, and whilst most do correspond with the numbered text question, there are a few variations in the questions, and numbers not quite matching up, suggesting that they may relate to a variant edition. Nevertheless, they are extremely scarce. An advertisement at the end of Harris’s Geographical Recreation of 1809 lists the game being offered at £1.1s., or with counters £1.11s. 6d’.
The work is dedicated to the Right Honourable Lady Amelia Spencer, youngest daughter of His Grace the Duke of Marlborough’ and is printed in French and English. A list of Harris’s ‘Valuable Works of Instruction’ is printed on the verso of the title-page. As was the case with a copy of the 1813 edition previously handled, the penultimate ‘Plain map of Asia, Africa, America’ (1792) is not accompanied by an annotated duplicate. Having cover each continent already, it was no doubt intended as the final test of memory. The final annotated map is ‘A new map of the World’ (1799) and showing the Western and Eastern Hemispheres. The previous twelve maps represent the British Isles (1797 and 1799); Europe (1797 and 1799); Central Europe (undated and 1799); Asia (1797 and 1799); Africa (1802 and 1799) and America (1797 and 1799).
The Abbé Gaultier (Aloisius Edouard Camille, 1746?-1818) was an influential French educator who fled to England during the French Revolution. He established a school for children and published books of games designed to teach a variety of subjects including geography. He believed that games could make learning amusing and keep children interested in a subject. He further encouraged children to think for themselves and to exercise their own judgement.
Gaultier’s methods found a ready market in England where map publishers in particular were quick to utilise
the many maps they published to produce a variety of games. This method of learning was very different from
the rote method of recitation of countries and cities, and map games quickly extended to both card games and jigsaws as well.
This new edition was first published in 1815, and Jehoshaphat Aspin re-issued the work (redrawing the maps and with a set of 348 counters) in 1821. The work continued to be republished over the next twenty years and remained an extremely successful instructional game for teaching geography. Indeed the Edinburgh Review of 1829 notes: ‘the numerous editions which have been published of this work, and the extensive favour with which it is still received, as well in private families as in schools, constitute no mean proof of its superior utility’ (p. 556).
As noted by Whitehouse, though not strictly speaking a board game, ‘each map in it does in fact constitute a game’ and thus he deemed it worthy for inclusion in his survey of Georgian and Victorian table games. The somewhat complicated rules of the game are on found on p. 6, opening with: ‘The Instructor, while he teaches, must lay aside all magisterial authority, menaces, and reprimands, as incompatible with the very idea of the Game; let him rather become the friend and companion of his pupils, and cheerfully associating with them.’ Despite this plea to make the game a cheerful one, it would nevertheless have been quite an intensive playing experience!

1856. Large broadside, 535 x 77mm, meticulously penned in pencil, ink and wash in an elegant calligraphic hand, divided into three tables within attractive architectural frames, each incorporating calligraphic flourishes, and with central pencil drawn image of Chronos armed with his scythe; discrete repairs to central tear, some light browning and foxing visible with one or two minor abrasions visible, but otherwise bright; mounted, surrounded with marbled paper; a striking example. A large and most attractively executed perpetual calendar, the work of the young Seminary student Emile Pédedieu in 1856 at the Collège d’Aire (most likely to be in the historic town of Aire-sur-Adour in South Western France), and dedicated to his ‘dear parents’. The central pencil drawing done in pencil, represents Chronos armed with his scythe. Three architectural columns contain the various calendar tables and instructions for use, all of which have been meticulously drawn, incorporating numerous calligraphic flourishes and delicate use of wash shading.
‘Instructions for using the perpetual calendar. To find out the day of the week on which the month will have started (or will have to start), look for the Sunday letter of the year and then the month; and following the line where it is placed, up to the column and below the Sunday letter of the year, you will find the day of the week with which the month should begin. If the month begins on a Monday, go to the Monday table, etc., etc’ (online translation). ‘Dominical letters are used to determine the day of the week for any given date. The letters A through G are assigned to the days in the week, beginning with A for January 1. The dominical letter for any given year indicates the letter that is assigned to Sunday for that year. For leap years, two letters are assigned because throughout January and February, Sunday will fall on a particular letter. After February 29, Sunday will fall on the next letter in the sequence’ (Amy Bishop, ‘Cardinal Tales’ blog on the Iowa State University Website from July 5th 2018).

1854-1855.]. 8vo, ff. [25], [6] leaves of verse printed on both recto and verso; front free endpaper browned, and without rear endpaper, a little foxed throughout, with faint dampstain visible at lower corner; with a contemporary signature in pencil on free endpaper, and dated 1859; in the original decorative yellow boards, head and tail of spine a little bumped, spine with some creasing, covers a little soiled with light wear to corners; a very good copy. Uncommon third edition (first 1854) of this most attractive ABC for children by the master of the art of silhouettes, Karl Fröhlich (1821-1898). During the mid to late 19th century he used the technique to illustrate a number of children’s works with great skill and finesse, often featuring animals and pastoral scenes, as clearly displayed in the present work. The illustration for the letter ‘X’ appears to show the artist himself, with a pair of scissors hanging from a chain around his neck, and leading a group of tumbling children off on an adventure.

1814. 8vo, pp. [3]-17; with folding wood-engraved plate (as frontispiece), and small woodcut tail-piece; title-page within ornamental border; some light marginal browning and soiling, with small nick at tail of title, and a couple of other small marginal nicks to fore-edges; with the book-plate of Arthur Elton on front pastedown; uncut, retaining the original yellow printed wrappers, and bound in modern maroon half-cloth over marbled boards, spine lettered in gilt; a very good copy. Rare first edition of this Regency pamphlet celebrating the National Jubilee of August 1814, not only of social historical interest, but of importance in relation to the history of technology and of gas lighting in particular, and including the rare plate depicting the two centrepieces of the celebrations, the Temple of Concord and the Chinese Pagoda and Bridge.
The London and Westminster Gas Light and Coke Company was incorporated in 1810 and was granted a Royal Charter in 1812, ushering in a new era in both public and private lighting. It built the first gasworks along the banks of the Thames, gas distribution achieved through cast iron mains (some of them made from recycled musket barrels), with the pressure regulated by valves (referred to as ‘governors’). Public street lighting was expanded to Westminster Bridge on 31 December 1813, and by 1815, thirty miles of gas lines had been laid.
It received its first truly spectacular exhibition, however, at the visit in June 1814 of the Allied Sovereigns to celebrate peace and the abdication of Napoleon, and the centenary of the ascension of the House of Hanover to the British throne. The Grand Jubilee held on August 1st was a national day of celebration, the date also marking the 16th anniversary of Nelson’s victory at the Battle of the Nile.
Celebrations centred upon the Royal Parks in London. An 80 foot high, seven-story timber Chinese Bridge and octagonal Pagoda was erected in St. James’s Park, designed by John Nash (1752-1835). A ‘Temple of Discorde’ was also erected in Green Park, which, by means of a mechanism designed by Sir William Congreve (1772-1828), under the cover of a firework display transformed into a ‘Temple of Concorde’.
Supplied with gas by the GLCC, the Pagoda was lit by 10,000 gas burners, and was to form the centrepiece of the celebrations. At 10 pm, as the pamphlet reveals, ‘the Chinese Bridge and Pagoda were completely illuminated, and had the appearance of a blazing edifice of fire. Every part of the building was covered with lamps, the gas lights in proper places relieving the dazzling splendour with their silver lustre; the canopies of the temple throwing up sky-rockets in the forms of wheels and stars. The effect of these vivid lights on the calm water which flowed beneath, the verdant foliage of the surrounding trees, the scattered tents, and the numerous assemblage of spectators on the lawn, appeared like the magical and enchanting scenes represented in the romances of the East’ (p.15).
Unfortunately at some point during the evening, a rocket from the firework display is believed to have hit the structure which caught fire and burnt to the ground, resulting in two deaths and a number of injuries to the men who were supervising the display. This terrible accident is given scant attention in the pamphlet and makes no mention of the fatalities. No doubt a prudent decision by the publisher, is what is an unashamedly patriotic celebration of the Great Britain and the Monarchy, and who would not wish to cast a shadow on what should have been such a triumphant evening. The episode, however, entered the public imagination, revealing as it did both the wonders and dangers of gas-lighting, and the GLCC was to struggle financially as a result for a number of years before the gas industry finally took off.
Not all copies located retain the attractive folding wood-engraved plate (which in seemingly the Columbia copy may in fact form two individual plates). A ‘New and Improved Edition’ was published in the same year, which included a note at the foot of the printed wrapper suggesting that copies could be purchased with or without the plate.

-1870s.]. 8vo, carte de visite photograph album, ff. 15 leaves of thick card, with images on both recto and verso, and comprising a lithograph introductory text within a garland border, followed by 28 numbered albumen print photographs of comical drawings, also within matching garland borders, each with lithographed text mounted below, the ‘windows for each surrounded by chromolithograph triple gilt ruled border; somewhat dust-soiled throughout with some marginal staining, first window previously torn but now repaired, the photographs all a little faded, more so towards the end, top corners of each card clipped for easier insertion into windows, small tear at tail of ff. 2, with further light wear and occasional minor tears to each, and cards a little awkward to remove; bound within the original elaborate blindstamped red morocco album, though now considerably darkened appearing almost brown, upper cover lettered in gilt 'The Club Adventures of Alderman Akeinside', sympathetically newly rebacked to style with new endpapers and later morocco label, spine with raised bands, all edges gilt and with inner gilt dentelles, with remains of brass clasps; a most unusual and appealing ephemeral item. A wonderful and somewhat curious piece of mid to late Victoriana, and seemingly a rare production. We have so far been unable to find any record of ‘B & Co. London (Wholesale), and have only found two copies held by Institutions, and none in the UK.
Presented as a carte de visite photograph album, the work contains 29 ‘cartes’, the first of which is a lithograph introductory text, followed by 28 numbered albumen print photographs of comical drawings illustrating the gluttonous night-out of Alderman Akeinside at his club, his inebriated return home, and his final consultation with Dr. Sloe and Mrs. Akeinside. Though slightly hard to remove from their ‘windows’ (each framed by a gilt ruled border), each card has the imprint 'Published by B. & Co. London (Wholesale)', within a circle on the verso, though undated. Harvard hold what is presumably the original manuscript version, and which they date to 1850, and which contains ‘pen, pencil and watercolour’ drawings, each signed ‘GB’ or ‘GBR’. Toronto holds a copy of the present later version including the albumen carte-de-visite prints, most probably photographs of the original album held at the Houghton, and which they date to 1860.
From the Introduction: 'August ye 12th. 18-- Dine at the Club tomorrow ? Of course I shall, whoever heard of such a thing ? Mrs. A. wont eat turtle, never did: I dont like Ice: because I once fell into the Serpentine: no wonder she dont know the difference between Turtle and boiled Goose!! Some people dont know the difference between a sheeps head and a Carrot!'.

1870. Large 8vo, pp. xxxii, [33] - 876; with 462 wood engravings; some occasional light foxing and spotting to early and later leaves but otherwise clean and bright, final endpaper somewhat creased; in contemporary sheep, spine in compartments with raised bands, with black morocco label lettered in gilt, label with slight loss of a couple of letters, spine darkened, covers a little stained and soiled with some scuffing, extremities bumped and lightly worn; a good copy. An appealing copy of an important classic in medical anatomy, first published in 1858, with the first American edition published in the following year. The present copy is the ‘New American from the fifth and enlarged English edition.’ The work remains as a standard work for the English-speaking world, and remains in print to this day.
‘The author's opening statement in the Preface reads: "This work is intended to furnish the Student and Practitioner with an accurate view of the Anatomy of the Human Body, and more especially the application of this science to Practical Surgery." The success of that intention for more than a century could be proclaimed by generations of medical students and doctors of medicine in the English-speaking world. Gray (1825-1861) was lecturer on anatomy at St. George's Hospital, London, and this lasting and monumental work, produced by a young man who died young, must be compared to the Fabrica of Vesalius, who produced his great work before the age of thirty years’ (Heirs 1914).
‘Such was the success of this enterprise that the first edition, seven hundred and fifty copies was sold out within two years, and the book has continued to appear in revised editions up to the present...The first American edition was published in June 1859 by Blanchard and Lea in Philadelphia, utilizing a complete set of wood blocks imported for the illustrations’ (Grolier, Medicine, 68).
‘The work was superior to other treatises on anatomy in three areas—the lucid and logical arrangement of a mass of detailed description; clear new drawings based on dissections by the surgeon-author and the artist, a physician; and sections on the surgical anatomy of defined areas, such as the axilla, the elbow, the popliteal space, the perineum, and the laryngotracheal region’ (Lilly Library, Notable Medical Books, 211).
‘The success of the book was not due to an absence of rivals. There were already several texts on anatomy...Gray's Anatomy, however, eclipsed all others, partly for its meticulous detail, partly for its emphasis on surgical anatomy, but most of all perhaps for the excellence of the illustrations, based on drawings by H. V. Carter [1831-1897], who assisted Gray with the dissections, and engraved by Messrs Butterworth and Heath with remarkable skill. The design of the book, and the skill with which the illustrations were interpolated in the text, could hardly have been improved. For a man in his early thirties it was a remarkable achievement’ (ODNB).

1802.]. 32mo, pp. vi, 7-32; with engraved frontispiece; pagination error with p. 3 in Arabic rather than Roman; some light soiling, but otherwise clean and bright; without endpapers (as issued?), textblock a little shaken; stitched as issued, in the original cream paper-covered boards, all edges yellow, with mounted shaped engraved labels on upper and lower board, each hand-coloured, spine slightly worn, covers a little soiled and darkened, but otherwise very good. A scarce and charming miniature introduction to basic arithmetic for children, issued by John Marshall as one of the series of little books that formed his boxed library ‘The Book-Case of Instruction and Delight’. The work begins with a brief potted history of mathematics: ‘From Asia it passed into Egypt... her it was greatly cultivated and improved. From Egypt it was transmitted to the Greeks, who handed it forward with great improvements, which is had received by the computation of their astronomers to the Romans from whom it came to us’ (p. iv). The young readers are then taken through the basic principles of numeration, addition, multiplication, subtraction and division, the work including a number of small tables and examples.
John Marshall (1783-1828) was a renowned publisher of miniature children’s books and series, including The Juvenile; or Child’s Library’; The Infant’s Library’; and The Doll’s Library. Printed in brightly coloured boards, often with numerous illustrations and frequently offered with the option of purchasing an accompanying specially designed ornamental doll-house-like bookcase, they became incredibly popular, offering as they did a practical system of learning through play. According to Brian Alderson the series comprised twelve volumes, though noted that a set had yet to be found complete. It is believed that all volumes could be purchased individually, and all are scarce.
The precise date of publication of the present work is uncertain, and a number of variants have been identified. Toronto (Osborne) and Princeton cite an addition to 1800 of pp. 61 with a variant imprint of ‘No. 4, Aldermary Church-yard, Bow-lane Cheapside’. Princeton has three issues, two of which have watermarks dated 199 and 1800. The present issue is believed to date to around 1802. A further edition was published after Marshall had moved to 140 Fleet Street (1807-1828) according to Brown, ‘London publishers and printers c. 1800-1870’, p. 124. A copy with this imprint is located at the UCLA and which they date to 1812, but based upon an inscription.

1846. 4to; with 14 engraved plates, four incorporating transparencies, all quite vibrantly coloured both mechanically and by hand, one card with printed text on verso; all cards somewhat soiled and browned due to use and paper quality, with signs of use, with light dampstaining to the ‘Latitude’ plate, and more prominent wear and creasing to the plate relating to ‘Longitude’; loosely inserted within contemporary maroon cloth portfolio, ruled in blind, with title in gilt on upper cover, inner gutter paper cracked and worn with some loss, spine sunned and lightly worn with small loss at lower joint, covers generally scuffed and lightly worn; with various ownership signatures on portfolio pastedowns attesting to the work having gone through a number of owners, including a gift presentation from Gladys Jones to Miss F Whitaker dated 1916; despite wear, a good set. An appealing, though presumed mixed set, of this elementary introduction to astronomy, one of several series of affordable, vibrantly coloured educational aids for children, to be used at home, in the class-room and elsewhere: a striking example of Victorian ‘infographics’, from the publishing firm widely acknowledged to have mastered the genre, that of James Reynolds.
Born in Islington, Reynolds father was a printer. Setting himself up in the Strand, James seems to have started business in around 1825, and went on to produce over many years a vast array of instructive and educational material, in a variety of large and smaller formats, ranging from standard maps and atlases, thematic maps on topics such as astronomy, geology, zoology and botany, tidal charts, physical maps, meteorological maps and much more. Very much an innovator in his field, though operating at the cheaper end of the market, his work was always reliable and accurate, and he routinely employed distinguished geographers such as Ernest George Ravenstein (1834-1913) and the geologist Professor John Morris (1810-1886) to advise on his diagrams. These could be purchased either in portfolio sets (usually of 12 cards, though that could vary), or individually for 1s. to enable the user to compile their own personal collection on subjects of their choice. Issued on stiff card, the majority of the diagrams were coloured (either by hand or later mechanically), and several cleverly incorporated transparencies. All beautifully executed, they were predominantly engraved by John Emslie, with whom Reynolds formed a productive, successful and enduring partnership. Their first joint production was the set of astronomical cards, issued sometime around 1846, and which proved so popular it was reprinted for decades. Reynolds was an adept and re-active publisher, who constantly revised his various publications, and provided them in a number of different and flexible formats to meet demand. Emslie went on to win a prize medal for his educational diagrams at the International Exhibition of 1862. Their publications captured the interest of the burgeoning middle classes of Victorian England, with many more parents interested in buying educational books for their children. The drive for worker’s and women’s education no doubt also fuelled demand. Reynold’s works vividly reflect the growing flowering of ‘infographics’ that emerged during the Victorian era, as the industrialisation of printing made it easier and cheaper to create books with detailed colour illustrations.
Perhaps his most famous and iconic series, this set of 'Astronomical Diagrams' is bound in a maroon cloth portfolio. Finding complete portfolios is increasingly uncommon, and it would perhaps be slightly naïve to assume that what appears to be a complete set, in fact contain the cards as originally purchased. One can well imagine that some ‘judicious’ swapping may have gone on over the years, and having handled a number of sets over recent years, it is our belief that the present set seems to include cards ranging in publication date. Though none of the cards are dated, varying imprints and differing typography employed suggest some of the cards are later in date - notably the ‘View of the Moon’. The plates are: 1. The Chart of the Heavens (transparent); 2. Transparent Solar System; 3. Transparent Diagram of the Phases of the Moon; 4. Comparative Magnitudes of the Planets (particularly striking) 5. The Sun and Solar Phenomena; 6. Comets and Aerolites (a variant to the one held previously); 7. The Earth and its Atmosphere; 8. The Seasons; 9. Eclipses (somewhat faded); 10. The Earth's Annual Revolution round the Sun; 11. Diagram of Meteorology (with explanatory text on verso); 12. Methods of Ascertaining the Longitude (somewhat worn around extremities); 13. Methods of Ascertaining the Latitude (with some slight dampstaining); and 14. View of the Moon (seemingly a later example).

ca. 1920s?]. Small 18mo, pp. 66, [4], with two half tone illustrations and numerous line drawings; with advertisements on front and rear inside covers; a little browned; in the original green limp cloth, covers printed in black; a good copy. An appealing and uncommon manual of engineering, issued by the noted firm of C.H. Bailey, based in Newport in Wales. This small illustrated pocket guide, was one of a number of educational works published by the company in the early part of the 20th century, including C. H. Bailey’s Handy book of constants’(1906), and their more extensive Book of Useful Information’(1906). Some of the illustrations found in that work have been reprinted here.
Founded in the 1880s, the company was incorporated in May 1923 as C.H. Bailey, Graham and Co. Just prior to the start of World War II, it became C.H. Bailey Ltd. Almost 50 years later, the company listed on the London Stock Exchange. Until the early 1960s, the company was engaged primarily in owning and operating dry docks, ship repairing and heavy engineering. While the company’s first dry dock operations were in Newport, it also operated in Barry, Cardiff, Swansea, Port Talbot, on the Mersey, and in Bristol and Malta.

1920s?]. Offered together, three boxed reversible dissected wooden puzzles, each @ 125 x 175 x 4mm; each puzzle with chromolithograph sheet in landscape mounted on one side, and cut into 75 pieces; with image of camel in black on verso; puzzles a little dust-soiled; Series No. 4 and 6. contained in the original light blue paper card box with linen hinged lid, with mounted paper title printed in blue on upper lid, Series 10. in Navy blue hinged box lettered in gilt, all three with printed note adhered to inside lid, joints and extremities of boxes all a little rubbed and worn, most noticeably Series No. 4; most appealing examples. Three appealing and seemingly rare advertising solid wood reversible jigsaw puzzles, issued by the famous Birkenhead based shipbuilding company Cammell Laird & Co., Ltd. The company was formed in 1903 with the amalgamation of William and John Laird’s Birkenhead Iron Works and the Sheffield Steel firm of Charles Cammell & Co., Ltd. Known across the globe, the company built more than 1350 ships, playing a key role during both World Wars building both commercial and military vessels, being remembered in particular for the building of the Cunard White Star passenger liner Mauritania, and the first British aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal - both in 1938.
Described as a "Cam-Bru-Mac" Reversible Puzzle, the present examples, all scarce, were part of a series of similar games, and show in turn ’Casting a Large Ingot’, a picture of "Rolling a Locomotive Tyre. Sheffield and Birkenhead", and a ‘12,000 Ton Armour Bending Press’. Each puzzle has on the reverse, the famous logo of the company, a large black Camel.

1820-30. Series of nine oval die-cut ‘lace’ cards, 64 x 88mm, alternately cream and blue, tied together with blue silk, with 18 riddles neatly penned in a single hand (1-9 on recto, 10-18 on verso); some occasional light foxing and soiling, but otherwise clean and bright; now housed within custom made box. A charming, seemingly late Regency or early Victorian handmade parlour game, consisting of a series of 18 quite fiendish enigmas, charades and riddles - sadly without the answers - though attesting to the popularity of such games during the 19th century! Neatly written on nine oval die-cut cards, redolent of papers which became synonymous with Victorian Valentine’s Day card, this attractively produced set may perhaps have been given as a love token, although none of the riddles are on the theme of love. The riddles are as follows:
1. ‘Why is the famous Mr McAdam like one of the seven wonders of the World’; 2. ‘What colour are the winds and storms?’; 3. ‘My first is a prop, my second is a prop and my third is a prop’; 4. ‘My first I do, my second I do not and my third is what you are’; 5. ‘My first is a story, my second a story and my whole are(?) number of innocence’; 6. ‘Spell the archipelago in three letters’; 7. ‘My first supplies equality, my second inferiority, and my whole superiority’; 8. ‘Why are a pair of skates like an apple’; 9. ‘Why are fixed(?) stars like pen ink and paper?’; 10. ‘Name me and you break me?’; 11. ‘What word of ten letters can be spelt with five?’; 12. ‘Take a noun of plural number, to it add the letter ‘S’, plural’s plural now no more, sweet’s what bitter was before’; 13. ‘A letter in the Dutch alphabet named makes a lady of the third rank’; 14. ‘Why is grass like a mouse?’; 15. ‘If a pair of spectacles could speak, what ancient historian would they name?’; 16. ‘What sea would make a good sleeping room?’; 17. ‘What is majesty without it’s extremes?’; and finally 18. ‘My first is a proposition, my second is a composition and my third an acquisition’ (the answer we have worked out is fortune).
McAdam (1756-1836) became famous in the 1820s, question 1 being written in the present tense suggests the date of composition to be before his death in 1836.

As a Mark of Esteem and gratitude for her devotion to the Queen’s Brave Soldiers’. by J. Pinches, London, [1855-6]. Round white metal medallion with plain edge, 41mm in diametre, pierced for suspension,with some slight tarnishing and discolouration and some minor edgewear; without the original box; good. Uncommon and attractive medal by Pinches of London which was struck in 1856 and sold at the Crystal Palace in May of that year to commemorate the unveiling of the Scutari Monument by Queen Victoria in the presence of Crimean veterans. As contemporary reviews reveal, Baron Marochetti’s monument of four weeping angels was greeted with considerable disdain and indeed was quite unpopular, many aggrieved that he had won the commission without a preliminary public competition. The Crystal Palace statue was a facsimile in imitation granite of the actual monument erected at Scutari. Known as the "Lady with the Lamp," Florence Nightingale is considered by many to be the founder of modern nursing, revolutionizing the practice during her role as a managing nurse during the Crimean War. Her skills as a statistician aided in her preparation of visual data, further allowing vital information to be disseminated and better care thus administered.

1870.]. Oblong 8vo, ff. 12 unnumbered leaves of engravings; without title-page as issued; first leaf lightly foxed and browned, with further minor dust-soiling, but otherwise clean and bright; with 20th pencil inscription on front free endpaper; in contemporary maroon publisher’s blind-stamped cloth, lettered in gilt, front inner hinge cracked but holding, head and tail of spine lightly worn, covers a little darkened with some staining to front cover, extremities lightly bumped; a good copy. One of a number of humorous mid Victorian souvenir publications taking a satirical swipe at the popular Victorian craze of hydrotherapy or ‘taking the water cure’. The present album recounts in a series of 12 amusing sketches, the ‘horrors’ endured by one poor patient, at the hands of the water cure practitioners. ‘The Doctor says I shall enjoy the Steam Box Bath. Does it look like Enjoyment’ he plaintively asks in the first illustration. The startled man is then seen being doused by a hose ‘as if we were garden shrubs’. Other cures endured are the rain bath, douches, ‘a cold running Sitz Bath at Six in the morning’, and as if the indignities suffered were not enough, one image shows the poor patient trapped in a steel bath ‘a wasp threatens to settle on my nose’.
The present souvenir has been issued by the London publisher and map engraver, Newman & Co, who were active at 48 Watling Street between 1845-1873. Six of the steel engravings are numbered (though not in order), six are dated May 1869, four May 1870 and the final two images are undated, and are slightly different stylistically. We have previously handled an anonymous, slightly smaller leporello on the same subject and bearing very similar images though in lithograph, and which we believed to have been issued slightly earlier - though could perhaps have been a pirate of this edition. Such was the interest in hydrotherapy however, that it had become the subject of attention for many contemporary satirists, including the noted Victorian illustrator Thomas Onwhyn (1814-86) who had produced a similar work ‘The Pleasures of the Water Cure’ in around 1855, in conjunction with the publishers Rock & Co. Whilst the present images are not those of Onwhyn, there were clearly a series of humorous images circulating amongst the various publishing houses, in all probability available for purchase as separate postcards, and which could be gathered together to form souvenir albums by the ever entrepreneurial publishing firms.
Hydropathy came to prominence in 1826, when Vincent Priessnitz established Gräfenberg in the Silesian Alps, as the first, and most famous, water cure. People flocked from all over Europe to experience the effectiveness of the treatment, with the therapy first making an impact upon Britain when Captain Claridge published his 1842 account of his visit to Gräfenberg. Though treated with suspicion by the medical profession, the public embraced the idea, thus affording plenty of commercial opportunities for the entrepreneur. Coinciding with the industrial revolution and the rapid development of the railway network, spa tourism soon took off, with numerous hydropathic hotels established across the United Kingdom, in places such as Tunbridge Wells, Cheltenham and Great Malvern, and which brought great wealth and prosperity to the towns.

1920. 4to, pp. [64] including frontispiece; printed on china coated paper; title-page and 28 full-page photographic reproductions of chalk sketches on brown paper done by the author; some occasional light soiling, but otherwise clean and bright; in the original blue cloth backed pictorial boards, upper cover embossed and lettered in blue, with small mounted colour vignette of a saluting member of the WRAF, spine lettered in blue, head and tail slightly bumped and worn, covers slightly scuffed, extremities a little bumped and rubbed; a very good copy. First edition of this early and attractively produced account of life in the recently formed Women’s Royal Air Force, by Getrude A. George (1886-1971). Previously an art teacher before the war, what makes the work of particular appeal are the 28 delightful full-page illustrations by the author, reproductions of her original chalk sketches drawn on brown paper, and which evocatively capture day to day life. WRAF records show that she joined up on 29 October 1918 and that she was employed at the London Colney RAF airfield.
George dedicates the book to ‘the girls with whom I lived in happy comradeship during my period of service, and to one WRAF officer, whose steady work and high ideals helped to form a worthy tradition in the new Force’. Certainly what comes through in the accompanying text is the great feeling of pride, adventure and esprit de corps of these women, serving alongside men for the first time. Though predominantly performing auxiliary tasks, such as cleaning, repairing aircraft, and sign-writing, George was clearly very proud of her connection with the Force.
‘During the First World War, members of the Women’s Royal Naval Service (WRNS) and the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC) worked on air stations belonging to the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS). When the decision was taken to merge the RFC and RNAS to form the Royal Air Force (RAF), concerns were raised about the loss of their specialised female workforce. This need for a separate women’s air service led to the formation of the WRAF on 1 April 1918. Personnel of the WAAC and WRNS were given the choice of transferring to the new service and over 9,000 decided to join. Civilian enrolment swelled WRAF numbers. They were dispatched to RAF bases, initially in Britain and then later in 1919 to France and Germany. In April 1920 the WRAF, a wartime force, was disbanded. In only two years, 32,000 WRAFs had proved a major asset to the RAF and paved the way for all future air service women’. (RAF Museum online).

[n.d. but ca. 1858-60.]. Small folio, pp. [ii] additional chromolithograph title-page consisting of an oval-shaped decorative border with a small chromolithograph oval paper onlay illustrating a piece of silverware in the centre, [vi], [17]-48; with 17 chromolithograph plates (most retaining tissue guards), and with a number of wood engravings within text; some occasional light browning and soiling, but otherwise clean and bright; original morocco backed blue publisher’s cloth with bevelled edges, all edges gilt, rebacked, covers elaborately tooled and lettered in gilt, spine ruled and lettered in gilt; with book-plate on front paste-down, possibly Charles J Hart; ex-Birmingham Assay Office copy with their small stamp at tail of front free endpaper; a good copy. An attractive copy of this striking chromolithograph work illustrating examples of metal-work and jewellery which had been exhibited at the Art Treasures Exhibition held in Manchester in 1857. After contributing to the guidebooks for the Crystal Palace at Sydenham in 1854 (together with Matthew Digby Wyatt and others), the architect John Burley Waring (1823-1875) was appointed superintendent of ornamental art and sculpture for the Manchester exhibition, described by Elizabeth Pergam as ‘the first blockbuster’ exhibition. To celebrate the occasion, a large illustrated catalogue was issued under the title ‘Art treasures of the United Kingdom from the Art Treasures Exhibition, Manchester’, describing many sculptural and decorative art highlights arranged in categories, with introductory essays by noted commentators, and illustrated with large-scale chromolithographs by, amongst others, the noted photographer and chromolithographer Francis Bedford (1815-1894).
The present ‘Examples of Metal-Work’ originally formed part of that more extensive catalogue, but has been here reissued separately with a new ‘Introduction’ by Waring (not included in the the 1858 publication). The essay by the architect and art historian Wyatt (1820-1877) are apparently the same sheets as those used previously, and includes small wood engravings by the illustrator Robert Dudley (1826-1909). Wyatt had previously published a more extensive illustrated work on the subject in 1852, ‘Metal-Work and its artistic design’, once again illustrated with numerous chromolithographs.

1800. 12mo, pp. xii, 154; with folding engraved frontispiece map of the world, a folding plate of the spheres, and two further engraved plates of ‘Geographical terms and figures exemplified’; lacking the front free endpaper; some occasional light soiling, upper margin of frontispiece with faint stain, otherwise clean and bright; with a few neat pencil markings throughout; with the signature of ‘A. W. Wells’ on front pastedown, and of ‘Parker’ on rear pastedown; a most appealing unsophisticated copy in the original full sheep, ruled in blind, spine in compartments with raised bands, some loss of spine at head and tail, and upper joint cracked but holding firm, extremities a little rubbed; with the name ‘Parker’ stamped in black vertically on upper cover. A charming unsophisticated copy and a scarce provincial printing of this popular geographical work, first published in French by the noted historian Abbé Pierre Nicolas Lenglet du Fresnoy (1674-1755) as Géographie des enfans in 1736, with the first English edition appearing in the following year. One of the earliest geography text-books aimed specifically at young children, the work comprises a series of sixty-six lessons, organised by country and area, and adopts the question and answer format to help instil into young minds. Thus they are given the key facts about major cities, rivers, population and systems of government. The final lessons introduce the reader to the use of the terrestrial globe, and concluding with a table of longitude and latitude. By studying for an hour a day, ‘all this knowledge may be acquired in less time than three months’ (p. x).
Not only aimed at children, however, as the preface notes: ‘This outline may likewise be useful even to those of riper years, for there are many, who, though they have had a good general education, are ignorant even of the first rudiments of this science... the least propensity to learning by the help of this short treatise, will be sufficient to acquire a general idea of the science. Young ladies, in two months time, may be instructed in the rudiments of Geography, and be able to give a pertinent answer to a question, that they would blush if they were unable to resolve’ (p.iv-v). As the present Shrewsbury printed ‘Twenty-second edition’ attests, the work proved to be extremely popular and enduring.
The author of several works, Du Fresnoy published his more extensive Methode pour etudier la geographie in 1716, the 1736 presumably an abridgement based upon that work.

1857. 8vo, pp. 77, [ii]; with large folding engraved frontispiece, and six further engraved plates (two folding); two small repairs to verso of frontispiece with a couple of small tears at folds but without significant loss, outer margin of title-page a little nicked and chipped, with slight loss to upper corner of first three leaves, further light marginal soiling and occasional spotting; with bookseller’s label at tail of front paste-down; in later three-quarter cloth over plain boards, spine lettered in gilt, front hinge cracked but holding, covers a little soiled, with slight sunning at tail of upper cover, extremities and corners a little rubbed and bumped; a good copy. A scarce abridged account of this noted Scottish trial, no doubt published to satisfy the voracious public interest that the notorious case had generated throughout Great Britain. The large folding and evocative frontispiece depicts the court-room, with the defendant standing with her head bowed, and facing away from the viewer. Portraits of Smith and the leading lawyers are also depicted, together with a view of both her house, and that of the victim, Pierre Emile L’Angelier.
Smith, the twenty-one year old daughter of the noted Glasgow architect David Hamilton, was tried for poisoning Pierre Emile L'Angelier, a poor Jerseyman of French extraction, in the summer of 1857. The pair had met in 1855 and began a secret correspondence that eventually resulted in a full-blown love affair. In the spring of 1857, Smith became engaged to William Minnoch, a suitor acceptable to her parents, and tried to end her relationship with L'Angelier. Insisting that their prior intimacy meant they were married in the eyes of God, L'Angelier refused to accept Smith's decision. After threatening to send her letters to her father if she went ahead with the marriage plans, he died suddenly on March 22, 1857. A post-mortem examination revealed that death had been caused by arsenic poisoning, and a search of L'Angelier's rooms turned up the letters Smith had written to him. Smith was arrested and charged with murder and two counts of attempted murder, based on reports of earlier attacks of a "mysterious" stomach ailment. Despite the evidence of the letters and the fact that Smith was shown to have purchased arsenic several times, the jury acquitted her of attempted murder and brought in a verdict of Not Proven on the final charge. It is interesting to note that for the London readership, Vickers has included a brief explanation of this verdict - specific to Scottish law.
OCLC notes a more fuller explanation of the trial published in the same year, published in Belfast and comprising 124 pages - and with a shorter version of 40 pp with a Melbourne imprint. The trial prompted several subsequent commentaries and analyses.