A total joy finding these in Concord, NH this week: a complete first edition set of six volumes of "Early Lessons" by Maria Edgeworth, published by Robvert Desilver, Philadelphia, 1823--very early examples of books for children, and with the most charming hand-colored engravings of any I've seen--notably different in quality from those more commonly sees of several decades later. I especially love that both the stories and illustrations portray young people--boys and girls both--learning about, and doing, significant, useful things--from sawing a log, to making bricks, to keeping bees, to laying a straw roof, to making candles, to putting out fire, etc. Plenty of amusements, too. And the faces and specificity of details in the engravings is just wonderful.
With marbled covers, leather bindings, and stickers (891-896) on the spines, indicating I presume that they were once part of a library. I've found a single volume from the set listed via Abe books at $200 and no other complete sets.
Each book approx 5 7/8" x 3 3/4" x 3/4". General wear and some damage to a couple of the bindings, a loose title page in volume 1, and a few first pages missing from volume 6, the cover of which shows some splitting from the spine. Some toning throughout but pages and engravings are in generally very good condition, with blank reverses to all of the engravings. Photos give a good sense, and show a majority of the engravings, which clearly I'm quite enamored with! A few at the beginning of photos, and then more or less sequentially.
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