Amsterdam: G.W. Breughel, (1945). First and only edition of a typographic and graphic approach to children’s reading skills. with animal silhouettes by Reyer Stolk, a Dutch artist who also worked in Africa. The style and identity of many of the animals created here in silhouette amply reflect Stolk’s African influence. Opposite each full page of animal silhouette groupings is another full page of animal names produced in varying typographic styles and arranged in contours reflecting the grouping opposite. Lithographed largely in black, with occasional outlines or words in blue, gray, or green. Quite an imaginative approach to children’s learning. Through OCLC we have located four copies in Dutch libraries and one copy in France at the BNfr. Ref. 17083 Small 4to (26 x17 cm); 16 pp. lithographed with silhouettes and lettering.

Chez LeCerf et Chez Banchard, n.d. (1819). The young children of the family Senneval voyage around Paris beginning by crossing the Seine to the park Saint Cloud and from there to Lagny; Charonne; Saint-Denis; Charenton; Surène et Au Calvaire; Versailles; Arcueil et Bicetre; Saint-Germain; Montmartre; Sceaux, et Vincennes. At each spot they learn local or national history, but, also, they experience local pastimes and learn the ways of the people. This title is modestly famous for its illustration of the family eating dinner in the tree-tops of le Poirier sans pareil ( destroyed in 1814 says a text note) maintained by a local traiteur. This copy of the book is undated, as are some listed in OCLC. The date of 1819 is suggested for the Cotsen copy which does not specifically indicate colouring to the plates; the Morgan copy in the Corsair collection suggests 1819 with only 48 pp., but hand-colouring; Gallica, giving a different publisher, lists no date. Gumuchian 4641 is uncoloured. Quite scarce in commerce. Ref. 17068 Eating in the Tree-tops in Montmartre 16mo, small format oblong, 12 x 18 cm.; 56 pp. + frontispiece, engraved decorative title and 12 plates hors texte, all coloured by hand.

(Paris): Librairie de Gide Fils, n.d. ( ca.1820). A rare and sweet little edition of Arnaud Berquin’s L’AMI DES ENFANS issued in the series Le Petit Bilbiothécaire, this example embellished with colour plates. Le Petit Bibliothécaire collection included sets of natural history, the history of France, antiquity for young people, etc. A publisher’s list for the series is included here at the back of Vol. 6. The little narratives offered range in subject matter : horticulture, natural science, play, etiquette, virtue, punishment, obligation, and justice. There are 7 hand-coloured plates to each volume, thus 42, not including the frontispieces. “Despite the popularity of the work of Mme Le Prince de Beaumont, Mme d’Epinay and Mme de Genlis, it is Arnaud Berquin(1747-1791) who is most often credited with being the real pioneer of children’s literature in France.” (Brown, P.E. A CRITICAL HISTORY OF FRENCH CHILDREN’S LITERATURE. Vol. One: 1600-1830, p. 147). Berquin was certainly very prolific. While there are many versions in different formats of L’AMI DES ENFANS recorded in libraries and sometimes for sale, this Petit Bibliothécaire edition with the colour plates is rare. Cotsen notes a different version of larger format, (No. 641) and Gumuchian 606064 and 6065 also list other formats. Ref: 16876 A Set of Berquin for Le Petit Biliothécaire 32mo (9.8 x 6.1 cm); 159 + (1); 160; 159 + (1); 160; 159 + (1); 156 + (iv) + 6 hand - coloured engraved frontispieces + 42 hand-coloured plates hors-texte.

London (6);Wellington, Salop (1); Gloucester(1): Frederick Westley and A.H. Davis; Hatchards?; Houlston and Son; Hough and Jew, 1827; 1827; 1828; 1828; 1824; 1824; 1828; 1828. Quite a scarce collection of little English chapbooks. For the children’s gardening book, “ROBERT OR THE LITTLE FLORIST” and “EDWARD WALLACE or THE LITTLE ASTRONOMER” we have found no copies in Library Hub, British Library, or Princeton. A copy without wraps, like ours, of THE SUNBEAM was found in World Cat. Stanley’s WONDERFUL MEN OF MODERN TIMES was found at Oxford in Library Hub. The British Library contains an 1827 edition of the second half only of Samuel Maitland’s HOLY WARS. The British Library has the 1828 edition of THE BUNCH OF VIOLETS. WONDERFUL MEN OF MODERN TIMES was found in World Cat’s reference to OCLC 8394367. Many such chapbooks of this period are bound up with others, often making it difficult to track them down. REF: 16958 With a very scarce children’s gardening book and equally scarce children’s astronomy book. Generally, 32mo; 10 x 6.2 cm; 32; 22 (ii); 46 + (ii); 45 + (1); 30; 24; 15, with final page on wrapper recto; 24 + 1 blank. With numerous wood-engraved illustrations and with one fold-out engraved plate.

(Paris): Flammarion, (1948). A complete series of a very special production of les Albums du Père Castor published by Flammarion. One of their most prolific illustrators, Pierre Belvès, has himself cut and pasted coloured paper into numerous designs of household objects, flowers and plants, fruits, etc., which have been beautifully colour printed for the volumes. These designs are models for children to follow in a cut, paste, and collage practice that could turn into wall decoration, etc. Instructions in the first three volumes guide the child to trace on coloured paper and then cut out forms defined by colour in the images presented. Next, with these colour forms in hand, the child is encouraged to create his/her own tableaux on a sheet of white paper -with this encouragement from Belvès: “Bien entendu, vous n’êtes pas obligés de copier les modèles. Vous pouvez choisir les couleurs qui vous plaisent, et même composee des tableaux à votre idée.” Each volume presents an advancement in skill and perception. Volume 4 illustrates the way some of Belves’s students produced their own complicated cut-out designs from folded paper (instruction provided) from elements of a design by Belvès. The student work in this volume borders a large design by Belvès, himself, spread across two pages. The artist, whose talents were noticed by French editor Paul Faucher, became a principal illustrator for the famous Père Castor childrens’ books. Not only did he illustrate story books, such as Hans Christian Andersen’s UGLY DUCKLING, and imaginative “frises à colorier”, but he produced a significant number of art instruction manuals. Truly an avant-garde introduction to art for children encouraging not only technical skills, but unrestrained interpretation. Volume 3 in this series bears the bookplate of noted children’s book collector and dealer, Robin de Beaumont. Ref:17126 WHERE FORM MEETS COLOUR Stapled pamphlets, 21 x 21 cm: 10;10;10;10; with 1 pp. text in each of volumes 1 -3 and 2 pp. text in volume four, all other pages are of illustrations in colour.

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.

Fernand Nathan, ca.1913. First published in Geneva, this copy with the printed label of Parisian publisher Fernand Nathan on the title page and upper cover. An exceptionally well-preserved, indeed, fine copy of this handsomely produced children’s art manual whose authors assert that it is as natural for a child to draw as to speak. Swiss pedagogue Mina Audemars studied and worked with the Froebel and Montessori systems before founding, with Édouard Claparède (who wrote the avant-propos to the present work), La Maison des Petits de L’Institut Jean-Jacques Rousseau at Geneva. She created educational games for mathematics and, with co- worker Louise Lafendel, wrote LE JEU DES SURFACES: Couleurs, Formes, Grandeurs. in 1952. Here in this manual with its 49 plates, Lessons 20-46 present the work of both students and teacher.The numerous full page illustrations are dramatically vivid. We have not yet located copies in US libraries in OCLC. Ref: 17042 8vo (23.2 x 17 cm); xvi + 58 pp. + 46 full page plates in colour + plates A, B & C in colour.

Paris: Librairie Delagrave, 1929. An excellent copy of this pochoir coloured art training manual with designs executed by very young students between the ages 4 and 8 from écoles maternelles and classes enfantines. Authors Madeleline Bardot, inspectrice des Écoles Maternelles de la Seine and advocate of “l’education nouvelle,” a popular movement emphasizing educating the total person” and M. Claveau, professor of drawing in the lycées and écoles normales of the period have selected 64 pieces from the best examples of student work. The initial plates, though filled by the students, were largely formed by teachers, but the last three plates were created solely by the imagination and training of the young students. Geometric outlines were proposed for this age group as being the least distracting and, yet, the most rewarding for permitting the liberating use of colour. The designs could be applied to crafts, such as embroidery (a few black and white examples are shown) and the authors hoped that they would be displayed in homes and in schools. The models selected here demonstrate a sensibility in the children that gives their work the value of art “plus précieux que la perfection d’une technique toute matérielle.” Examples are found in French libraries, of course, - the BNfr. being the only one to mention a copy dated 1928. In the US, we locate copies at Yale and at the University of Delaware. A beautiful and important work in school art education from this period, especially with its 64 illustrations in pochoir. Ref. 16859 With 64 Decorative Compositions Coloured by Pochoir Oblong 4to (23 x 28 cm); 8 pp. with half tone illustrations + xvi plates, each with 4 designs coloured by pochoir.

Bruxelles: Vromant & Co, 1926. First and only edition of a rare drawing manual by Belgium artist Germaine Hageman ((1897-1985) daughter of the painter Maurice Hagemans. No. 196 of 525 total copies, this on papier d’Arches. All the plates were subsequently destroyed. Hagemans gained notice as an artist for her very sensitive drawings and paintings of animals and landscapes; she also did small book covers, many featuring animals. Here she develops a drawing book based upon her exchanges with a small boy named Boby who has been constrained in his approach to drawing at school. The result is an album of free form and expressive images of animals in natural positions, people in the street, etc. Possibly the rodeo horse who appears on the cover as well as in the album was a request from Boby. We have found one copy in OCLC in Belgium, but no copy in the printed version of the Cotsen Collection. Ref. 17025 Quarto (28 x 22.5 cm); profusely illustrated from drawings reproduced in black and white and in sanguine.

(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.

APELDOORN: TALENS & ZOON, 1925-28. A very scarce set of Dutch educational games made of cards sets, each series (A,B,C) possessing 20 coloured and 20 uncoloured cards with identical outlines. Series A & B include loose paper circles (in 3 sizes ) and loose paper squares ( in 1 size ) provided in glassine envelopes and all three sets include the printed instructions in Dutch. The images progress somewhat in complexity, with squares gradually playing more of a part, and the children playing with them are instructed to start with the coloured cards as example and then apply the coloured circles and squares to the uncoloured versions with glue. Different effects will be achieved with the use of different colours on the same object outline and this, of course, is part of the learning process. The series D is not included with this set; each series could be purchased separately. Sara Maria Bouman-van Tertholen (Rijnsburg 1878-Amsterdam 1950) was a Froebel teacher, author of books of art instruction for children and creator of songs for children. The concept of the game and the abstract forms of the individual card illustrations clearly fit into the rise of Modernism during the period of publication. We have located 2 listings in Holland on OCLC, no results on Library Hub or in online sales as of August 2024. Scarce. Ref. 17129 Froebel Influence In The Children’s World of Learning Volume II: Physical Training, Art & Craft for Children, Varia. 60 printed cards, numbered sequentially, half coloured, half uncolored contained in three printed folders identified as series A,B,C. Two sets of loose light paper shapes of circles and squares in glassine envelopes - not present in Serie C; Three folded leaflets of 4 pp. each accompanying each set. Cards measure 14.5 x 8.5 cm; outer envelopes also about 14.5 x 8.5 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.

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.

NEW YORK, CHICAGO, etc: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1935. First edition. Edited by Patty Smith Hill and Mary M. Reed of the Teachers College at Columbia University. A volume in the SOCIAL SCIENCE READERS series intended to bring young readers beyond the simple acquisition of basic skills and into an understanding of the dramatic social and creative life of the communities around them. The audience is kindergarten and primary grades. The text here is in simple verse accompanied by well drawn and detailed illustrations by Eleanor Lee of the various steps involved in constructing a tall building from excavation of the site, transformation of the landscape, transportation of materials, to the classroom building of a “tall building”. Ref. 17120 Architecture for Children Oblong 8vo 16.7 x 18 cm) 36 + (2) pp. with 16 full page illustrations in colour.

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.

Bruxelles: Chocolate Senez-Sturbelle, ca.1890. A lovingly executed piece of chocolate advertising from the Belgian firm of Senez-Sturbelle in the form of a booklet opening into a leporello of cut-out chromolithographed die-cuts depicting various types of cats on exposition. At rear is a small tab or folder into which a piece of chocolate would have been placed ( since consumed, of course). Young children are given a coin to obtain entrance to the exhibition which contained - according to the booklet - ten cages of cats of various descriptions, these all cut out chromolithographs. Text at the “versos” of two pages tells the story of the children’s trip, explaining their arrival at the guichet or ticket booth, and recounting their favourite cats ( the Cat Family in this instance). The exposition would surely have taken place in Belgium or France; this is a very well executed advertising souvenir. Chocolate Consumed. A “Cats on Display” Leporello. Booklet with backing lying flat, 12 x 9.5 cm; opened to 11 die-cut leaves with text printed on inside covers and on “versos” of two leaves. Ref. 17070

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.

AMSTERDAM: H. MOOLENYZER, 1817-18. A very scarce illustrated Dutch almanach for 1818 in an attractive block-printed paper covered étui. Published by the enterprising H. Moolenyzer, this almanach is an excellent example of the trend for almanachs morphing into vehicles for all sorts of entertainment, illustration and minor literary works - in fact, they became valuable for advancing the sales of the publisher/booksellers. Here the story, most likely intended for children, unsurprisingly plays up very positive sides of Peter the Great and Alexander 1 - Peter the Great learned much shipbuilding in Amsterdam and Alexander 1 eventually helped put an end to Napoleon. We have so far located only two copies in Dutch libraries. Children’s History of Peter the Great and Alexander I in a charming papier dominoté slipcase. Small 8vo (10 x 8.2 cm); portrait frontispiece of Alexander I; engraved title; (xii) +(ii) + 112 pp. text + 4 engraved plates in addition to frontispiece.