Hieroglyphic Bible Children 1796 American juvenile rebus puzzle book A. Anderson

(Old Books, 18th Century Books, Children's Books, Illustrated puzzle & rebus Books, Religion, Christianity).

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A New Hieroglyphic Bible for the Amusement & Instruction of Children...
Published 1796, New York.
144 pages. Text in English. Profusely illustrated throughout with small woodcuts by Alexander Anderson. 72 leaves, plus the frontis & title (74 printed leaves).

Extremely early and quite rare 18th century American novelty juvenile, with an owners name (Alexander Folger) and date 1800 on front fly leaf

Original wall paper covered boards, pictorial frontis, profusion of small woodcut vignettes rebus style.

Book is 225 years old and shows some signs of handling and time. Item is not new or in "new" condition.

Binding paper rubbed and edge worn, spine neatly repaired in the past using an appropriate looking cloth tape, remains overall attractive as an object.

Text block paper is gently toned, light to moderate scattered age spotting and thumb smudges from reading and handling, slightly shaken contents, several leaves with various small short edge tears or small flaws, internally still well preserved and pleasing to browse.

Still attractive on the shelf. This rare small book displays a pleasing and unique age patina and is in nice antiquarian condition, any age flaws easy to overlook or forgive. 

Please review photos for more detail and our best attempt to convey how this rare 18th century American imprint survives.

The frontis and title page are engraved (on diff. paper than the text block). This could indicate the text block corresponds to the c.1794 version printed in Boston for Norman (see Rosenbach, 181).

Book Measures c. 5 1/2" H x 3 1/2" W.

[B2666].

Rosenbach, Early American Children's Books, 181.

Welch, Early American Children's Books Prior to 1821, 513.2 (noting the examples he examined were lacking pages).

Evans, American Imprints, 30068.

Hamilton, Early American Book Illustrators and Wood Engravers, 211 (noting the woodcuts are by Alexander Hamilton).

Stauffer, American Engravers on Copper and Steel, pp. 8-9, noting he graduated from medical school in 1796 and was almost immediately engraving on copper in New York city.

Pomeroy, 44.