The Peek-A-Boos In Town

New York: Hodder & Stoughton, 1915. Hardcover. Very good. Preston, Chloe. Oblong folio, [80] pp. Mary Clarissa "May" Byron (1861-1936) was a prolific author of children's books; information on Chloe Preston (1887-1969) seems a bit elusive; from various online sources we gleen that she was born in Britain in 1887, "in a gentrified English country environment". Her charming illustrations of the Peek-a-Boos have "clear simple outlines and bright colours, [and] her humorous images portray simple excursions and activities" (n.b., quotes from the web site of the Antique Print Club).

Chloe Preston provided the illustrations for twelve "Peek-A-Boo" books (per Baumgarten); this title listed in Baumgarten with Frowde as the UK publisher, this volume likely the first U.S. edition. Preston follows the adventures of Jemima, Washington, Theodore and Jane as they decide to go "to town".

___DESCRIPTION: Paper-covered boards with red cloth spine, yellow lettering on the front board outlined in black, full-colour illustration below the title, both the lettering and the characters are raised (bas-relief style), gilt lettering stamped onto the spine, black-line illustrated endpapers, colour frontispiece one of sixteen full-page colour illustrations throughout printed on rectos only, title page with two black-and-white vignettes, additional black-line in-text illustrations throughout; oblong folio size (13 1/2" wide by 8 3/4" tall), [80] pp., note that page count does not include the illustrations.

___CONDITION: Overall very good, the binding showing minimal wear with a few light marks on the raised paper, the colours on the front still bright, a strong square text block with solid hinges, the interior illustrations bright, and entirely free of prior owner markings; some minor soiling to the boards, the corners rubbed with some loss of the paper, offsetting to the free endpapers, the front free endpaper with a vertical crease, the front pastedown shows the indentations from the front board having been debossed to create the bas-relief effect, we note a few pages with short closed tears (on some of which a prior owner affixed cello tape), and a few scattered spots of light soil throughout. Even with its faults, a very good, solid copy.

___CITATION: For the true (U.K.) first, see Baumgarten, Artist, p. 160.

___POSTAGE: Please note that this is an unusually large and heavy volume and additional postage may apply; please inquire for details.

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