Thomas, Isaiah | An outstanding set of early American juvenilia — including Little Goody Twoshoes — with notable provenance

Thomas, Isaiah

History of Little Goody Twoshoes [and] A Little Pretty Pocket-Book [and] The Juvenile Biographer; Containing the Lives of Little Masters and Misses [and] The Picture Exhibition; Containing the Original Drawings of Eighteen Disciples. Worcester: Isaiah Thomas, 1787-1788

Together 4 works., 24mo (97 x 67 mm). Numerous in-text illustrations; light toning, small flaw in frontispiece of A Little Pretty Pocket-Book, closed tear to p. 26 of The Juvenile Biographer. Original green gilt Dutch paper wrappers; lightly rubbed. Housed together in a morocco pull-off case. 

First Worcester editions, an outstanding set with notable provenance.

The History of Little Goody Twoshoes was one of the first English stories to be written specially for children and probably the most famous children's book of the eighteenth century. This Worcester edition was the fourth edition to be printed in America, the first having appeared in 1775. The first edition was published in London by John Newbery in 1774. Newbery's illustrations appear in this edition. The story was hugely popular and was reprinted many times before the end of the eighteenth century with few of these early copies from either England or America having survived.

Together with three other works of Worcester juvenilia, A Little Pretty Pocket-Book, "One of the most influential and important books in the history of juvenile literature" (Rosenbach), The Juvenile Biographer, and The Picture Exhibition. 

PROVENANCE

Lenox Library New York (duplicate stamps) — Marshall C. Lefferts (morocco labels)

REFERENCE

ESTC W20449, W13628, W18139, W28876; Evans 20412, 20440, 20459, 21392; Rosenbach 118, 119, 120, 134