An exceptional copy of a vanishingly rare eighteenth century...

An exceptional copy of a vanishingly rare eighteenth century children's book. The Child's New Play-Thing; being a Spelling-Book intended to make the Learning to Read, a Diversion instead of a Task. Consisiting of Scripture-Histories, Fables, Stories, Moral and Religious Precepts Proverbs, Songs, Riddles etc. With entertaining Pictures to each Story and Fable. The Whole adapted to the Capacities of Children, and Divided into Lessons of 1, 2.3, and 4 Syllables with Dialogues shewing 1. How a Little Boy shall every body love him. 2. How a Little Boy shall grow wiser than the rest of his School-Fellows. 3 How a Little Boy shall become a great Man. Also a new invented Alphabet for Children to play with, and a Preface shewing the Use of it. The eighth edition To which are added, Forty-Eight new Cuts with moral and instructive Verses to each. Designed for the use of schools , or for Children before they go to School. . London. Printed for Messrs. Ware, Hawes, Clark and Collins: C. Corbett, J. Dodsley, J. Hinxman, and J. Rivington. 1763. 12 mo. Bound in brown, school canvas over paper boards. 167 numbered pages with one page advertisement for R. & J. Dodsley's The Preceptor and final blank. Frontispiece of His 'Highness Prince George' with date below '1740'. (Prince George had become King George in 1760 between editions of the book). Woodcuts throughout. This copy includes the fold-out alphabet, originally intended to be cut into squares for the child to play with, but here -remarkably - still intact as issued. Pages show age-toning and some pale foxing. The frontispiece is almost, but not quite detached. An exceptional copy of a rare eighteenth-century children's title, originally published by 'T[homas]. Cooper', after his death, his widow re-issued the book under her own imprint and her name was retained until this, the eighth edition, which was published she died and her stock was taken over by the consortium of publishers listed above. ESTC records only a few institutional holdings, but it appears some are defective. The fact that the fold out alphabet remains complete and the book is bound in the original 'school canvas' makes this a truly exceptional as-it-was-issued copy. Rarely appearing in the saleroom, the last copy to do so was Justin Schiller's copy in 2020, the ninth edition making $12,500.

Estimation:3.593,85€

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