Merry Words for Merry Children.
London and New York: W. Hagelberg, Ca. 1875. Charming color chromolithograph illustrations in a children's book with 2 separate stories told in verse, 'Jim's Dream' and 'The Race'.
In the first story, Jim, a boy who is fond of clowns, dreams that he has become one. In the dream he trains geese to do tricks, and is cruel to them. The geese turn on Jim and he is tied to a spit and roasted over a fire. Jim decides not to become a cruel clown when he awakens.
'The Race' is the wonderfully illustrated story of an animal race conducted on penny farthings, between frogs, greyhounds, rabbits and cats with four pugs as the judges. Each page is illustrated in perspective with the animals riding their penny farthings in a receding diagonal line; the greyhounds are very funny pedaling with all their might, their tongues hanging out. The last page with a full color illustration of the 4 pugs in black top hats, red kerchiefs around their necks, and smoking cigars.
Printed by W. Hagelberg, Berlin. Wolff Hagelberg of Berlin were one of Europe’s leading fine art publishers of the 19th century, their printing works located at 19-21 Marien-Strasse.
Oblong 32mo (4 3/4 x 3 1/4”), [24] pp. Stiff pictorial textured card covers, the front cover illustrated with a row of 4 seated pugs reading the newspaper; the rear cover with 3 kittens sewing. Stitched binding. OCLC: 38643096 records 3 copies. Very good condition. Item #22793
Price: $375.00