[John Marshall]

32mo, 9 volumes, numerous woodcut and engraved illustrations, some hand-coloured, original boards with hand-coloured labels on upper and lower wrappers, original wooden box with sliding wooden lid and with hand-coloured label laid down and wooden pediment at top, single drawer, some minor soiling and rubbing, box worn with shelving compartments loose and lacking ribbon for drawer, also lacking right hand groove for lid

Alderson 8

Condition is described within the main body of the cataloguing, where appropriate.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

As noted by Louis W. Bondy in Miniature Books (London, 1981), “the very first years of the nineteenth century enriched the world of miniature books in a most striking way. Around 1800 several London publishers and especially John Marshall, a printer and bookseller… brought out complete libraries for children of great appeal which were housed in their own specially designed ornamental bookcases.” Brian Alderson notes that "By shelving such tiny books with their pretty bindings in their own book-case… the publishers hit upon an idea that yoked together most remarkably those two weary cart-horses of the children’s book revolution, ‘instruction and amusement’".

The nine volumes comprise: The Adventures of Hacho… [not in Osborne, but later acquired], An Epitome of English History… [Osborne 781], Geography Embellished… [Osborne 804], A History of France… [Osborne 784], Poems, Riddles, &c. [not in Osborne], Twenty Seven Prints of Natural History… [Osborne 840], The Olive Merchant… [not in Osborne], The Pleasant Gift [not in Osborne] and The Little Auctioneer [not in Osborne].

The drawer contains five additional John Marshall publications comprising books 4, 6 and 10 of Bibliotheque des Enfants, book 9 of Vocabulaire pour la Bibliotheque des Enfants and one other, numerous woodcut engravings, hand-coloured, original paper wrappers, one volume with wrapper detached, two volumes lacking wrappers, three volumes incomplete and lacking several leaves. Also included are 4 cards showing topographical views and 3 cards showing outline and finished drawings.

Brian Alderson in his ‘Miniature Libraries for the Young’, The Private Library, Spring 1983, pp. 2-38 suggests that the book-case comprised twelve volumes and lists ten titles which he could establish. Of these ten titles, six are represented here. Three of the titles present in this collection are not listed by Alderson. There is a note which concludes Alderson’s description in which he notes that ‘this very miscellaneous  assemblage [has] not yet [been] found complete’.