Life of Christ c.1830 Darton rare children's chapbook w/ old hand colored plates
Brian DiMambro- Antiquarian Books, Maps & Prints(Old Books, 18th Century Books, Religion, Christianity, Illustrated Books, Children's Books).
The Life of Christ.
Published c. 1820-40, London by William Darton and Sons.
22 engraved (possibly lithographed) images on 11 sheets with original stenciled hand color. Text in English.
Pictorial paper wrappers, zebra woodcut to lettered title cover.
A rare chapbook with crude early original hand coloring, likely applied by stencil use.
Chapbook is physically old and shows clear signs of handling and time. Lacks first illustration leaf. Rare in any condition.
Covers edge worn, stained, rubbed, short splits- basically well age worn, as typical for the vast majority of inherently fragile juvenile-related paper items of this era. Spine neatly repaired by early owner long ago with paper and now splitting at bottom half, original string binding thread still in place, lacks first leaf with illustrations #1-2 of Christ's Life. Still, it remains overall attractive as a rare survival of its type.
Text block paper is gently toned, light to moderate scattered age spotting and staining, internally still tight and sound.
Booklet displays a pleasing and uniquely charming age patina, any age flaws easy to overlook or forgive given the item was almost certainly repeatedly handled by very young children in the past.
Please review photos for more detail and our best attempt to convey how this antique item survives.
Book Measures c. 7" H x 4 1/4" W.
[B2565].
Osborne Collection Early Children's Books, 2v catalogue; not mentioned (Darton firm history given, with several of their imprints, but this imprint / title not noted anywhere). Interestingly, there is also no American juvenile (chapbook or otherwise) titled "Life of Christ" seen within Welch's authoritative Bibliography of American Children's Books Printed Prior to 1821. The Rosenbach Collection of Early American Children's Books likewise does not appear to possess any juvenile work with a similar title.