(PARIS: published by the author), (ca. 1945). An exceptional and complete copy of a creative production between the writer Marcelle Marquet, the illustrator Suza Desnoyer, and the artistic lithographer and Russian artist Boris Nikolaevitch Grosser. Possibly an advance copy for the illustrator pre-dating the ca 1951 edition. The concept of the book was developed in response to Marcelle Marquet’s daughter’s request for a better understanding of the alphabet and Suza Desnoyer joined in to further the imaginative story with her illustrations. Marquet and Desnoyer were friends and associates in the artistic and literary world of 1930s Paris. In this fantastic story, the vowels, a community of personified letters, and the consonants, similarly segregated,, come together at a grand banquet and gala. The ultimate result is the signing of a treaty creating one people, “celui des LETTRES”. Supplementing this colourful event are plates of heavier card, some coloured, featuring the anthropomorphic letters to be cut out and used in games ( games are suggested for adults, as well). Printed on the inside of the lower cover are pieces of a vehicle to be cut out and assembled for containing the cut-out letters. All brilliantly conceived. Cotsen 6918 with a date of 1952 has a different collation with fewer plates. Copies with all the plates and instruction leaves are quite uncommon. “VIVE L’ALPHABET” With All the Plates. Oblong 8vo ( 19.3 x 23.4 cm); (2), 24 pp. printed in colours; 3 ff of fine paper in three different colours; 8 plates in heavy stock (of which 4 are printed entirely in colours). Laid in is a much older description from noted children’s book dealer Michele Noret who notes that the book comes from the illustrator’s personal collection.

Tokyo: Tokyosha, 1934. A complete and original single issue of this beautiful colourprinted illustrated Japanese children’s journal which ran from 1922 to 1944. “KODOMO NO KUNI stood out in what is often called the “golden age” of Japanese children’s magazines because of its high artistic standards and the long duration of its publication.” ( McGowan, Tar M. ‘WELCOME TO THE “LAND OF CHILDREN” (KOMODO NO KUNI). It sprang from a renewed interest during the Taishō period in the creation of open spaces for the expression of children’s creativity, coupled with the work of Japanese artists returning from Europe filled with ideas gleaned from the modern art movements taking there at the time. For more on KODOMO NO KUNI, read the excellent article on the journal and its artistic contributors at WELCOME TO THE “LAND OF CHILDREN” ( KOMODO NO KUNI); by Dr. Tara M. McGowan for the Cotsen Children’s Library at https://blogs.princeton.edu/cotsen/2019/02/kodomo-no-kuni. Uncommon. Japanese Children Go Modern. 8vo (26 x 18.8 cm); 30 unnumbered pp, including inner covers, all illustrated, many full page + 16 numbered pp. on lighter pp. with text, some illustration, printed in purple/brown.

( Paris): Flammarion, (1944, 1944, 1946, 1946). A set of all four seasons in this extraordinary series of decorative card bands or frises created for the Collection Père Castor by the French artist and illustrator, Pierre Belvès. The frises are lengths of soft card foldlng into quarters and printed on both sides. One side contains the title, the instruction text, and two separate full panel illustrations. These latter illustrations fold to create what looks like a square pamphlet. When opened, the panels open to their reverse joining the interior panels to presentsan illustrated length of seasonal scenes boldly rendered in cream and colour outlines against a dark background. These are to be coloured in ( or perhaps left uncoloured for the sheer beauty of the designs) and used as decoration in a child’s study or classroom. Belvès Decorative bands illustrating the Four seasons. Four folding decorative bands in soft card each measuring 23.5 x 83 cm; printed in dark coloured backgrounds (green, black and brown) with images lithographed in cream and one background colour; The full length centre panel for “L’HIVER” printed in a lighter background with images in cream and a dark colour. Text on a back panel with a central image and instructions in French and English.

Paris: Marcilly, ca. 1820-30. Quite a rare miniature children’s book made additionally unusual for its hand-painted, glass-covered binding à décor fixé sous verre from early 19th century France. Bondy 77. Printed by A. Pincal of Paris this title appears identical to the only copy we have traced so far, Ruth Adomeit’s copy in a paper over boards binding) in the Lilly Library (4627397). Seven engraved plates accompany the text which recounts the story of a mother giving a doll to her two daughters. As to be expected, the young girls receive instruction from their mother in the ways of building character in their doll. The lessons for the development of the daughters’ own characters are obvious. A binding à décor fixé sous verre is accomplished by painting the image on the reverse of the glass, often using oil or gouache colours and glue, inverting the design so that it appears correctly for the viewer looking at the non-painted side. The technique is an old one, apparently invented in Murano from where it spread throughout Europe. Parisian ateliers used it for a variety of objects in the 18th and 19th centuries; there is some evidence of the practice in provincial centres such as Marseilles. (see Larousse, DICTIONAIRE DE LA PEINTURE) This is a beautifully preserved example with both upper and lower covers treated. Rare. Ref.: 17125 In a Hand-Coloured Binding Printed text is 5 x 7 cm; half title + engraved title + 3-126 pp. + 7 engraved plates. The binding itself measures 5x5 x 7 cm.

PARIS: ca. 1904. CONTE NO. 12 OF THE CONTES DE LA PHOSPHATINE FALIÈRES These amusing“planches publicitaires” made up of tales were offered folded into envelopes with illustrations on the covers. Devambez created five of these which were printed at his firm. In this one, the Usine Enchantée is the location (not far from La Grande Jatte) where the healthy baby food is made and two children are brought in by La Fée to see the tremendous work and care that goes into the making of la phosphatine right up to the perfect final encasement of the product and its transport in a special truck. All of this is recounted on the poster in coloured illustrations with captions. This beautiful and fanciful work of the artist and printer André Devambez was demonstrated in a recent large exhibition at the Petit Palais in Paris with this item, illustrated full page - it is is No. 153 (conte 12) of the catalogue, ANDRÉ DEVAMBEZ (1867-1944) / VERTIGES DE L’IMAGINATION. Ref. 17007 . Paper poster or broadside, 22 x 15.7 inches, folded; in original envelope, with illustration measuring 7.5 x 5 inches. With original printed label.

PARIS: PHOSPHATINE FALIÉRES, n.d. ca. 1904. La Fée Bienfaisante was the first of the Contes De La Phosphatine Faliéres “planches publicitaires” offered folded into envelopes with illustrations on the covers. Devambez created five of these and they were printed at his firm. In this one, the Fée Bienfaisante made all the children of the country imbibe the healthy Phosphatine Faliéres baby formula invoking the admiration of the king and incurring the jealous wrath of Guignaufron who fabricated bad phosphatine and brought harm to the children. The king arrested Guignaufron, made her eat all of her bad phosphatine at which point she became ill and died. Thus, La Fée Bienfaisante, herald and distributor of the good Phosphatine Faliéres, triumphed. All of this is recounted on the poster filled with colour illustrations and captions. The beautiful and fanciful work of artist and printer André Devambez was demonstrated in a recent large exhibition at the Petit Palais in Paris. This item, illustrated full page, is NO. 153 of its catalogue, ANDRÉ DEVAMBEZ (1867 - 1944)/VERTIGES DE L’IMAGINATION. Paris: Petit Palais. Ref.17006 A Devambez Advertising Poster ANDRÉ DEVAMBEZ/ VERTIGES DE L’IMAGINATION. PARIS:PETIT PALAIS, 2022 Poster, 22X15.7 inches; folded twice horizontally and twice vertically; in original illustrated envelope measuring 7.5 x 5 inches.

Paris: “Les Editions Ouvrières”, 1946. With beautifully rendered printed costumes, set against an overall decorative background, to be carefully cut out for dressing the doll whose front and back profiles could be removed from the rear or lower cover. Smaller illustrations, also on the rear cover, show the completed costumes representing folk dress from Austria, Spain, Holland, Hungary Italy, Serbia, Sweden and the Ukraine. Appeared as part of the collection “Les Farfardets” directed by Edmée Arma. The “letter” laid in is from Ziguezag, the elf in charge of dressing fairies and addressed to the young girl reader instructing her to cut out costumes for the doll and enjoy the marvels of this magical suitcase. A charmer. European Paper Dolls in Vibrant Colors. Oblong stapled booklet (21 x 26.8 cm.); text on inner cover ; printed “letter laid in + 8 full page color plates with text on inner rear cover and color illustration with two doll cut-outs on lower cover.

Paris: Auguste Ghio, n.d., ca. 1865. Illustrated with eight amusing and lovely two-toned lithographed plates of animated flowers. Six of the plates depict people transformed into flowers, with four examples on each plate. The other two plates depict scenes with an Enchanteur or Magician and human beings at the beginning and end of this fantastic tale. The story is loosely based on a variation of the German Faustus the Enchanteur legend, but it is the artistic treatment of the personified flowers that is of interest here. The flower bodies with human heads are similar to Grandville’s illustrations for LES FLEURS ANIMÉES of 1847, but here they are more defined as flowers. The artist’s signature on many of the plates is “Bertrand”; the printer is Becquet, Paris. The author was Rosine de La Salle Theodore Midy who wrote quite a number of works for children, including LA BOTANIQUE ILLUSTRÉE DE LA JEUNESSE and L’ALPHABET. The book is bound in printed floral paper covers with rusticated borders, signed L. Poguet. The covers also bear the name of the publisher Auguste Ghio, Palais-Royal. We find one copy with a different publisher (A. Courcier) at the Bibliothèque Nationale, Tolbiac; another copy is identified, but not located, in OCLC with a Library of Education publisher. Theodore Rosine de la Salle Midy was also published by Library of Education and A. Courcier - this is likely the same person. A very scarce Romantic floral fantasy. Ref. 16667 In the Style of Grandville. 4to (30 x 22 cm.); 54 + (ii) pp. + 8 lithographed plates in two tints.

École Maurice-Cannes/ Cours Moyen 2ème A, (ca. 1936). . The young female students of the École Maurice-Alice in Cannes inform us in their hand-written introduction that they have chosen the profession of gardener as their theme ( even though it is a male job they say!) for exposition because, in their privileged school setting surrounded by a park, it is the Gardener who occupies their world in so many ways each day. “Toute l’annee il travaille près de nous: ses gestes, ses occupations, ses outils nous sont familiers, et nous avons appris à aimer son métier, ce métier qui nous fait mieux comprendre la nature qui nous entourne...” With their stated “Equipe de dessin” (Anne-Marie Frémont and Josette Prévost) andEquipe de rédaction (12 young women), this class has produced hand-written text and full page illustrations that describe the beautiful grounds and trees and plants surrounding their school, as well as the work of the Gardener within. The students have taken interest in his work in autumn, in the task of trimming the palm trees, in tending to the olives trees during the mistral, and, of course, in attending to spring at the garden. Of interest here, although the school property was acquired by the city of Cannes in the early 30s, the villa, designed by Charles Baron, and the grounds once belonged to the noted botanist and dendrologist Alfonse Lavallée who was no doubt a great contributor to the beauty of the grounds. A particularly intelligent and colourful school class exhibition piece in very good condition. Hand-lettered text in pen, with initial letters in blue watercolour; 12 full page original colour illustrations in gouache or watercolour signed with the initials of students Anne Marie Frémont and Josette Prévost. Handmade booklet, 18 x 22.1 cm; cover illustration in watercolour or gouache, with full page crayon or chalk illustration on verso; 9 pp. text, these pages usually attached to verso of a full page illustration, some continuation of hand-written text onto overslip only of following illustration.Ten full page hand-coloured illustrations, including verso of title page, and in addition to title page drawing. Beautifully preserved.

N.P: LE GOUVERNEMENT DES ETATS-UNIS, ca. An interactive colouring book offered, presumably, by the U.S. Office of War Information to the children of France during WWII. A young boy named “Jeannot” shares his excitement and interest in the participation of the United States in the war effort for the Allies. Black and white pictures of warships, airplanes, officers - even Jeannot ‘s own pilot “father” are presented alongside outlines of planes, boat, tanks, even factories for a child to colour with the two-colour ( a red end and a blue end) pencil provided in a slot in the spine. A very good, clean survival of wartime propaganda directed at children. Ref. 17124 For the Children of France from the “Son” of an American Pilot Stapled pamphlet 12.7 x 13.8 with pencil enclosed in paper spine for colouring in red at one end or blue at the other; 30 unnumbered pp., with text and illustration, including front and rear inner covers printed on inner covers.

(Paris): Flammarion ( Albums du Père Castor), (1956). A highly creative colouring album from Père Castor illustrated by Gerda and destined for children up to 15 years of age. Gerda Muller was a Dutch artist, born in 1926 at Naarden in Holland and educated at the Amsterdam School of Fine Arts and Crafts, who came to Paris in search of more opportunities to work in children’s illustration. After studying at the École Éstienne, Paris, she eventually met Paul Faucher, the originator of Flammarion’s Albums de Père Castor who set her to work on a vibrant career in children’s book illustration. In the case of this particular title, Gerda and Faucher produced a colouring book with images to create against black backgrounds which would provide immediate interesting effects from the choice of colour. In themed frieze-like leporellos, children could colour in the subject matter according to the suggestions offered on the wrapper flaps. The images were offered for the child to paint or colour in order to exercise the eye, the hand and the taste. The leporello or fold-out albums albums are as follows: “j’aide papa” (work in the garden and orchard); “le luxembourg”; “ les Apprentis”; “le Jardin des Plantes”; “Amusons nous”; “en musique”; “à Paris dans ma rue”; “j’aide maman” (work in the home). Undoubtedly, arranging the images on a theme displayed as a leperollo would encourage the child to reflect on display and colour variation. Faucher or Père Castor published other frise à colorier on black backgrounds, several illustrated by Pierre Belvès. See the blog site Les Couleurs de Pierre Belvès for further detail about the development of Père Castor albums. The Albums de Père Castor were inscribed in the register “Memoire du Monde” of UNESCO for their contribution to children’s literature. Rare. So far we have located only a copy at BNFr and a copy at Princeton in the Cotsen Collection where the kind librarians, at our inquiry, have noted their cataloguing error in suggesting that there should be 10 volumes instead of 8. (Cotsen 7635) Thus, complete and rare. Unbound as issued 18 x 18 cm; within are 8 albums which each fold out to approximately 106 cm in length and contain 6 panels, printed on both sides (12 images) each panel section measuring approximately 18 x 18 cm; the dust jacket, 2 parts of which contain an 18 x 18 cm coloured image enclosing 4 albums on each side.

Paris: Chez A. Marc, n.d, (ca. 1821-25?). First edition of this most charming children's botanical work, this copy with coloured plates, by the prolific French governess for the children of the duc d'Orléans. These jeux champêtres are designed to instruct by the experience of nature, a key element in Mme. de Genlis’s approach to education. The text takes the form of a dialogue between teacher and students. Here the children collect and play games with flowers and plants, learning their science along the way. They learn to make a herbier as well. Engravings of certain flowers and some of the toys or amusements one can make with them illustrate the text. Also included at the end of the work is a fairy tale, "l"Ile des Monstres", in which natural forms appear enlarged in life as though seen under a microscope. Oxford and Cambridge lists their copies as editions originales with the dates of 1821 and 1822. The Gumuchian date, also identified as edition originale is “vers 1825”. Copies were printed plain, coloured, and on velum, coloured. There are a few other copies in online library catalogues, but the book is rare in commerce. Ref. 16894 A Coloured Copy Gumuchian 2704 & 2705 12mo (16 x 9.5 cm); (ii) + xii + 236 pp. with 8 hand-coloured engravings including title page vignette.

London and New York: MacMillan; St. Martin’s Press for vols 1 and 2; London, MacMillan for the unnumbered copy, ( 1941-1949). Winifred Marks’ LIVELY DRAWING WITH PENCIL AND BRUSH books are very difficult to acquire and the larger volumes 3 and 4 are especially so. Marks’ encouragements (rather than instructions) to children serve to explain the great splash of drawings she offers on each page. “How to Make Colours Show Well”, for example is demonstrated with large flowers in vibrant colours with different coloured centres. For this same purpose, the effects of brush work, pattern making, mask making, picture making with colour paper, and much more are demonstrated. Marks encourages practice and thought and, at the same time, she urges breaking bounds:“ Always draw what you mean to draw... If you are drawing something and cannot think how it goes, make up the rest.” “Don’t see what YOU CAN DO. Find out what the TOOLS can do.” “When you think of something you would like to draw, don’t say, “How shall I do it?” Think about it a little more. Then draw those very things about which you have thought.” Exuberance, practice, and uncluttered exercise of the imagination are her message. Joe Pearson of DESIGN FOR TODAY has suggested that Winifred Marks’ teaching method echoes that of Marion Richardson and Montessori. Most uncommon. It is unusual to be able to offer three of the four books. In OCLC we have so far located only 4 holdings, including one at BLRC and at Oxford. Ref: 16912 With vibrant colour illustrations throughout, text incorporated into every illustrated page. “Bring pictures out of your mind.” 25 x 19 cm; books 1 & 2 are staple bound with 28 pp. each, all filled with illustrations from colour drawings; the unnumbered volume with 48 pp. is sewn in small folio.

Paris: Hachette, 1833. First edition of a book on education proclaimed (in 1834) by the French Academy to be the best book of the year. Cochin was a highly respected Parisian lawyer, philanthropist, and, also, a mayor of the city’s 12th arrondissement where he witnessed the impoverishment and neglect of children, as well as the difficulties of mothers. In response, Cochin established classrooms- salles d’asile - where he, himself, instructed according to the appropriate age of the children. In a way he aimed at supplementing the education that heavily burdened mothers could barely give their children. “C’est pour suppléer, dit-il, aux soins, aux impressions, aux enseignements que chaque enfant devrait recevoir de la présence, de l’exemple et des paroles de sa mère, qu’il a paru nécessaire d’ouvrir des salles d’hospitalité et d’éducation en faveur du premier àge.” An early acolyte of his programme was Mme. Millet, wife of the painter Frédéric Millet, who went to England to study their young age school and returned to open the first salle d’asile on the rue Martyr in Paris. The project grew from there as outlined in Cochin’s manual, bringing the salle d’asile into the same school building as the salle-d’asile within the initial project funded by Cochin himself. There are two major parts to the Manuel: the first introduces the concept and. importance of the salles d’asile; the second part is aimed at outlining the objectives of the teachers. This is followed by an index of topics discussed; pages of music to be sung for instruction ( there are both an addition song and alphabet song); and, finally, by plates showing separate activities and a large folding plate showing the plan for the Maison created by Cochin in the 12th arrondissement between 1828. and 1829. A wonderful work of educational reform. Scarce in commerce. In OCLC we locate 15 copies, many of these the 1834 edition. Saving the very young from indigence and poverty. 8vo (20.5 x 13 cm); (ii) +285 + (1) + 19 + (1) pp. + 9 plates of which one is fold-out.

London: A.M. Davis, n.d. ( ca. 1935). An interactive printed project for children offering cut-out images to be coloured,formed, folded, and arranged to produce a farmstead scene. The scene, itself, is represented on the cover of the cards packet. The images to be coloured and made three dimensional include the farmhouse, its garden and hedges, barn, cornfield, hay cart, pond, and figures of animals and people. This complete set was No. 756 in a series for painting and constructing. Other series (some listed on the packet) were also offered by the Davis firm, famous for greeting cards, kindergarten outline painting and embroidery, etc. The firm was represented at the 1947 British Industrial History fair. Scarce. Ref. 16648 “Hand and Eye are trained to act in unison” Twelve cards printed in black on rectos only with illustrations to be cut out and coloured, each 15.3 x 20.1 cm.; pink paper packet printed and illustrated on front and back, 16 x 21 cm.