Sammy Tickletooth ABC on Linen c.1870’s McLoughlin color litho picture book

Book is a well age worn and much loved example. How you might expect a book mad for children 150 years ago to look.

Published NY, McLoughlin Brothers, c.1865-75. 12 pp. [counting covers], original string tied binding so inherently fragile.

Much browsed and handled survival, spine paper splitting as typical, original string tied binding intact, covers and pages loosened, assorted small age soiling, various signs of time and handling.

Images still mostly clean.

The survival rate of 19th century paper juvenile books such as this is quite low, a minuscule percentage of those originally produced.

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.

Therefore, all surviving examples of 19th century hand colored juveniles should be considered inherently scarce and worthy of acquisition on some level, given their actual comparative rarity, which is mostly invisible to the uninformed observer.

Book measures c. 6 7/8“H x 4 5/8“W.

B15180