?Final Price Realized includes Buyer’s Premium added to Hammer Price
Estimate: $ 1,200 - $ 1,800
(CHILDREN'S BOOKS.) 12 American children's books as packaged by A.S.W. Rosenbach, his bibliography in its original crate, and more. 15 items, as described; condition generally strong. Mostly Philadelphia, 1808-1822 and 1933
Abraham Simon Wolf Rosenbach (1876-1952) was the leading dealer of antiquarian books in early 20th century America. In addition to his vast holdings and expertise in early Americana and American Judaica, he also became the leader in a more humble field: early 19th-century children's chapbooks, based on a stock of remainders from his uncle Moses Pollok. His 1933 bibliography remains the state of the art for these ephemeral works. This lot demonstrates his marketing: a limited-edition copy of the bibliography, a promotional broadside, and a total of 13 early 19th-century chapbooks in custom slipcases:
A collection of 12 chapbooks in original boards or wrappers, most published by Jacob Johnson or Johnson & Warner of Philadelphia, all housed in the original moderately worn custom Rosenbach slipcase as marketed by his firm, with spine title "American Children's Books 1808-1828." Contents include "Village Annals," 1814; "Die Gefahr in den Strassen," 1810; "The Blackbird's Nest," 1812; "The Daisy," 1808; "M'Carty's American Primer," 1828; "The New-York Preceptor," [1823]; "The Search After Happiness," 1811; "The Uncle's Present: A New Battledoor," undated; "Think Before You Speak," 1811; "The Council of Dogs," 1809; "A Picture Book, for Little Children," undated; and "The American Primer" printed by Mathew Carey, 1813.
Another Rosenbach remainder, "The Tragi-Comic History of the Burial of Cock Robin," in original wrappers, 1821, housed in a custom morocco slipcase.
Rosenbach's bibliography, "Early American Children's Books." Numerous plates. lix, 354, [3] pages. 4to, publisher's illustrated morocco, minimal wear; uncut; one of 88 copies on Zerkal Halle paper, numbered "L" and signed by Rosenbach on the limitation page. Portland, ME: Southworth Press, 1933. In its original slipcase, and housed in the original wooden shipping crate bearing a partial Rosenbach Company mailing label.
A color broadside promoting the bibliography titled "Charles F. Heartman Reviews Dr. Rosenbach's Young American Parade," 17 x 12 1/4 inches; minor edge wear.
