Hokee Pokee China racist rhymes smoking ABC 1865 McLoughlin color picture book

Uncle Cefil's Series- Hokee Pokee and Other Rhymes.

Published NY, 1865. by McLoughlin Bros.

12 pp. [counting covers], color litho cover, red ink color wood engraved plates. Plates done by a master of engraving on wood.

A scarce McLoughlin version of this not often seen story. Includes an ABC inside the front cover, clearly indicating the intended audience for these rhymes that show smoking and cultural mockery was an infant child!  

Spine paper splitting, covers lightly rubbed, name written along spine, assorted moderate small age spotting or soiling, signs of handling, etc. Still, plates are all clean, some small minor soiling, assorted signs of handling. 

Old fragile juvenile paper booklet from the middle of the 19th century, so over 150 years old. The format, audience and approach is a precursor to modern comic books of the 1930's and then Golden Age on.

The survival rate of 19th century color paper juvenile books such as this is very low, a minuscule percentage (almost certainly under 10% in most cases, probably 1-5% of half of all those originally produced. Some issues scattered all over the place in publishing history may all but no longer exist as copies.

So even if it were “a lot” made then, it would still be very modest by most modern standards of production.

Meaning the actual sales run of hand made books like this would have to be measured in low thousands, thus meaning survival rates probably below 100 -200 per title, with variations of course depending upon factors such as size, title, orig. price, condition, etc. For many titles, it could be far below these numbers, as in single or double digits.

Therefore, all surviving examples of 19th century color juvenile books should be considered inherently scarce and worthy of acquisition on some level, their actual comparative rarity being mostly invisible to the uninformed observer.

Book measures c. 9 3/4“ H x 6"W.

B15215