Alphabet and Funny Pictures, Cinderella Series

New York: McLoughlin Bro's. No date [c. 1880-1890s ?]. [JUVENILE] [ABECEDARIAN] [RHYMING VERSE]. Small 4to (9 3/8” x 6”); [8]pp; stiff color lithographed pictorial wrapper, front wrapper features an illustration of two children riding a donkey with a dog running next to them, rear wrapper has no advertisements, pictorial of a girl with a ball of yarn playing with two cats by a fireplace; capital letter alphabet in red on verso front wrapper; caricature style illustrations in color for each letter and a brief blurb; lower case alphabet in red on rector rear wrapper; near fine. Item #2335

Much like the description for AAS #213821 but lacking the publisher’s ads on the rear wrapper. The letter A starts with “A a was an Archer, And shot at a Frog.” The verse in this book is a variant of an 18th century British children’s rhyme, “Tom Thumb’s Alphabet” from Tom Thumb’s Pretty Song-Book, first published in London in 1744.

Various life stations and employments are poked at with satire. “C c was a Captain, All covered with Lace.” And indeed, the British military had metallic laces on the uniforms of the upper ranks. “G g was a Gamester, Who had but ill luck.” “I i was an Inn-keeper Who loved to bouse.” “Q q was a Quack, With a wonderful Pill,” pictures a doctor. “U u was an Usurer, a miserable elf,”

Dating based on the clothing worn by the children illustrated on the wrapper.

Price: $200.00