THE ENCHANTED DOLL. A fairy tale for little people.
Bradbury and Evans. London.,1850, 1850.
Early edition. Small 8vo. (7.1 x 5.3 inches). Originally published for Christmas 1849. Full page frontis and decorative title page plus 21 smaller illustrations throughout the text by Doyle. The frontis and decorative title page are both foxed, otherwise generally a clean copy. Finely bound in early twentieth century half green morocco, spine with five raised bands. Compartments decorated, lettered and ruled in gilt. Green paper on boards. Blue endpapers. Bound by Chatelis, with their gilt stamp on top of front inner board. Previous owners book plate on front paste-down. Top edge gilt. A nicely bound early edition. The work, about a poor doll maker whose workshop is invaded by kind fairies, was originally written by Lemon to entertain Charles Dicken's children and is dedicated to Mary and Kate Dickens. It was published for the 1849 Christmas market and was compared by many reviewers with Dickens Christmas books. The Ladies Companion believed that these illustrations secured Doyle's importance as an illustrator for children. Overall a very good copy of this pretty little book.:.
Item #3637
Price: £125.00