TOYS

8pp., 4to. Illustrations of covers on every page. Stapled. In good condition, on aged paper, with rusted staples. The cover (with a central photograph depicting the covers of eight titles) is headed: 'Order Form. | A New Series of Children's Toy Books. | The Publishers offer in this new series one of the most striking and original Coloured Toy Books ever published. They will please little children. | These Toy Books will command an immediate sale in any part of the country. They are not expensive.' In right-hand margin of cover: 'A Selection of 49 Titles'.

[2] + 8pp., 8vo., with an additional 6pp of illustrations. Aged and creased, with rusted staples. Typeset with something akin to an IBM golfball. Introductory note: 'This small collection of children's toys and games was formed in the early years of this century and had remained undisturbed in a packing case until purchased by us some months ago. Some of the toys show signs of use but in general the condition is very good. Adequate description is difficult and we have endeavoured to illustrate as many of the toys as possible.

Printed in brown on one side of a 20.5 x 25.5 cm piece of grey paper. In very good condition, lightly aged. An attractive production, with the text in a variety of fonts and point sizes. Beneath the heading 'Christmas Season, 1890.', the left-hand side of the page carries an engraving of eighteenth-century party-goers descending a staircase into a room in which is the sign 'Ludwig's Showroom for Xmas & New Year Presents.' On the right of the page the text reads: '84, High Street, Banbury. | J. H. Ludwig | Calls attention to his Season's Novelties in every Department | Showroom is now ready.

2pp., 4to. 20 lines of text. Good, on lightly-aged paper. Signed 'Geoffrey de Bellaigue'. He writes that he has had a reply to a letter (he has written to the Queen) 'concerning the miniature book entitled "Statesmen" which you purchased at the sale at Sothebys on 17 July 1972 (Lot 636)'.

5pp., 12mo. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper. The letter begins: 'Dear Freda | I think you may like to hear about your doll & the Princess Mary. The doll had a beautifully written card tied to it, saying it was the work of the youngest member of the Freeland Institute. Then it was put on a table with the basket of flowers for the Queen.

All items in good condition, on aged paper. ITEM ONE: 'Blackmore Doll's Patterns | One-Piece Dress, Bonnet, Petticoat, Bodice, Chemise and Drawers.' By J. E. Beale, Ltd. Doll Department, Bournemouth. [1920s]. Pattern in pieces of brown paper, in envelope printed with instructions and illustrations. The envelope also contains an illustrated advertisement for the Blackmore catalogue, on blue paper. ITEM TWO: 'Dolls And How To Make Them' by Winifred M. Ackroyd. At foot of title-page: 'To my fellow workers of the W.V.S. (Girlington Hospital Supplies Depot).

4to album, with the 29 pages of drawings on 28 leaves (on the rectos, except on one leaf, where they are on both sides). The album gives evidence of having been re-used, but gives no evidence as to the identity of the artist. While the covers of the album are worn, with the spine becoming detached, and with its leaves of discoloured high-acidity paper, all the drawings are clear and complete, consisting of twenty-eight full-page studies, and the remaining page (the first) with three studies on it. A few of the illustrations are lightly- and tastefully-coloured in pastel watercolour.

On a ruled leaf of laid paper detached from an account book. Dimensions 28.5 x 18.5 cm. Text clear and complete. On aged paper with chipping to extremities. One page, headed 'Xmas Toys 1879.' is filled with twenty-seven entries, beginning with '1 Gross 1/2 Flags 2 Gros 1/4 Candles [last word deleted] Flags' and ending with '1/2 Glass Toys. | 48 doz 1/2 Bird on Stand'. Other entries include 'Duck in Boats', 'Bird on Ball', 'Stag in Angle' and 'Glass Bird on Large Stand'. The reverse carries nine entries under the heading 'Moocrofts', the first being '504 6 Gross Shoe Plain 24/- 7..4..0'.

According to the British Library Bisset's Directory was published in 1800. Paper dimensions roughly 5 1/4 inches by 9 inches; print dimensions roughly 4 1/4 inches by 7 inches. In very good condition although somewhat grubby. Paper watermarked '<179?>9 | TMAN'. At head of plate: 'M'. At foot of plate: 'Reynolds. Sct. Birm'.