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<b>Bonhams:</b> MANDELSHTAM, OSIP. 1891-1938. Autograph Manuscript, 2 pp, [Petersburg,] January 1913, entitled

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Children's Books from John Windle Antiquarian Bookseller Children's Books from John Windle. By Michael Stillman John Windle Antiquarian Bookseller's 41st catalogue is dedicated to our childhood. It is entitled Children's Books. This catalogue will bring you back to the days of your youth. Well, not really. These children's books are mostly from the 19th century or early 20th. You would have to be really old to have read these books as a child. Certainly some of the stories will be familiar, as they were republished again and again. We all grew up with big bad wolves and bears in three sizes. Other stories, such as one which tells us how to distinguish a parrot from a carrot may be cute, but didn't stand the test of time. No matter. This catalogue is filled with magical tales and the innocence of youth. We cannot go back, but we can look back. Windle is ready to take us on a trip through time to the days when we were very young. Item 34 takes us all the way back to the time before Goldilocks' hair turned gold. Unlike most people, whose hair turns from gold to silver as they get older, Goldilock's hair changed from silver to gold. When Routledge published The Three Bears, with illustrations by Walter Crane, the lead human character's name was still Silverlocks. Perhaps those of you over 133 already knew that, but I was never aware that Goldilocks was ever anything but Goldilocks until I picked up Windle's catalogue. Priced at $550. Here is a title you may not instantly recognize: The History of Mother Twaddle and the Marvellous Atchievements of her son Jack, by H.A.C. You will instantly recognize that winning spelling bees was not among Jack's achievements. However, Mother Twaddle's boy was a good climber. This is the first American edition of the story we know better as "Jack and the Beanstalk." The year was 1809 when this classic was first published in Philadelphia. Item 54. $6,750. Item 73 may be another first appearance. Circa 1813, and published in London, it is Peter Piper's Practical Principles of Plain and Perfect Pronunciation. This is either the first or a very early edition of this book of tongue twisters. It provided the first recitation of the famous line, "Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers." $1,750. We'll continue our firsts with the first Raggedy Ann book, Raggedy Ann and Andy and the Camel with the Wrinkled Knees. This is a first edition of the first Raggedy Ann book, and Windle notes that it has never been out of print since first published in 1924. Item 52, by Johnny Gruelle. $875.
Children's Books from John Windle Antiquarian Bookseller Goldilocks was once Silverlocks, but the three bears were always bears. One more first, though not necessarily my favorite book. Item 39 is Elson Basic Readers, Pre-Primer, published in 1930. This book by William Elson and William Gray introduced the insipid, but unforgettable (though we wish we could) characters, Dick and Jane. Those were the two monosyllabic children that taught us all to hate reading. In this adventure, their dog Spot, better spoken than his human siblings, "spots" a frog, and announces, "'Bow-wow,' said Spot. I see something. It is not a ball. It is something funny. See it jump. What is it?'" On and on, page after page, the book drones on like this. I guess we're supposed to be impressed that Spot is able to tell the difference between a ball and a frog. That might have been a challenge for dimwitted Dick and Jane, but, give multilingual Spot credit for fluently moving between dog and English. There are few books as burned into the memories of generations of young people as these "adventures" of Dick and Jane. Why we were made to read these things I do not know. $375. Item 43 is The Mary Frances Sewing Book or Adventures Among the Thimble People, by Jane Eayre Fryer. I know nothing of this 1913 book, but I like the author's rhyming name. Who will be the buyer for Jane Eayre Fryer? Could be you. $250. Here is the parrot-carrot book. The title is How To Tell The Birds From The Flowers, by Robert Williams Wood. It includes numerous semi-clever dualities, such crow/crocus, and parrot/carrot. Says Wood, "We recognize the Parrot by his clear articulation, For Carrots are unable to engage in conversation." Come on. Even Spot could tell the difference between a parrot and a carrot. Item 103, from 1907. $50. Item 28 is a later edition (1886) of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. It is something like the 82,000th copy, and as such, you wouldn't expect it to be worth much. It is. This one carries an inscription from mild-mannered professor Charles Dodgson, better known by him penname, Lewis Carroll. $8,500. John Windle Antiquarian Bookseller may be found online at www.johnindle.com, phone number 415-986-5826.

Children's Books from John Windle Antiquarian Bookseller

Children's Books from John Windle.

By Michael Stillman

John Windle Antiquarian Bookseller's 41st catalogue is dedicated to our childhood. It is entitled Children's Books. This catalogue will bring you back to the days of your youth. Well, not really. These children's books are mostly from the 19th century or early 20th. You would have to be really old to have read these books as a child. Certainly some of the stories will be familiar, as they were republished again and again. We all grew up with big bad wolves and bears in three sizes. Other stories, such as one which tells us how to distinguish a parrot from a carrot may be cute, but didn't stand the test of time. No matter. This catalogue is filled with magical tales and the innocence of youth. We cannot go back, but we can look back. Windle is ready to take us on a trip through time to the days when we were very young.

Item 34 takes us all the way back to the time before Goldilocks' hair turned gold. Unlike most people, whose hair turns from gold to silver as they get older, Goldilock's hair changed from silver to gold. When Routledge published The Three Bears, with illustrations by Walter Crane, the lead human character's name was still Silverlocks. Perhaps those of you over 133 already knew that, but I was never aware that Goldilocks was ever anything but Goldilocks until I picked up Windle's catalogue. Priced at $550.

Here is a title you may not instantly recognize: The History of Mother Twaddle and the Marvellous Atchievements of her son Jack, by H.A.C. You will instantly recognize that winning spelling bees was not among Jack's achievements. However, Mother Twaddle's boy was a good climber. This is the first American edition of the story we know better as "Jack and the Beanstalk." The year was 1809 when this classic was first published in Philadelphia. Item 54. $6,750.

Item 73 may be another first appearance. Circa 1813, and published in London, it is Peter Piper's Practical Principles of Plain and Perfect Pronunciation. This is either the first or a very early edition of this book of tongue twisters. It provided the first recitation of the famous line, "Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers." $1,750.

We'll continue our firsts with the first Raggedy Ann book, Raggedy Ann and Andy and the Camel with the Wrinkled Knees. This is a first edition of the first Raggedy Ann book, and Windle notes that it has never been out of print since first published in 1924. Item 52, by Johnny Gruelle. $875.

Children's Books from John Windle Antiquarian Bookseller

Goldilocks was once Silverlocks, but the three bears were always bears.

One more first, though not necessarily my favorite book. Item 39 is Elson Basic Readers, Pre-Primer, published in 1930. This book by William Elson and William Gray introduced the insipid, but unforgettable (though we wish we could) characters, Dick and Jane. Those were the two monosyllabic children that taught us all to hate reading. In this adventure, their dog Spot, better spoken than his human siblings, "spots" a frog, and announces, "'Bow-wow,' said Spot. I see something. It is not a ball. It is something funny. See it jump. What is it?'" On and on, page after page, the book drones on like this.

I guess we're supposed to be impressed that Spot is able to tell the difference between a ball and a frog. That might have been a challenge for dimwitted Dick and Jane, but, give multilingual Spot credit for fluently moving between dog and English. There are few books as burned into the memories of generations of young people as these "adventures" of Dick and Jane. Why we were made to read these things I do not know. $375.

Item 43 is The Mary Frances Sewing Book or Adventures Among the Thimble People, by Jane Eayre Fryer. I know nothing of this 1913 book, but I like the author's rhyming name. Who will be the buyer for Jane Eayre Fryer? Could be you. $250.

Here is the parrot-carrot book. The title is How To Tell The Birds From The Flowers, by Robert Williams Wood. It includes numerous semi-clever dualities, such crow/crocus, and parrot/carrot. Says Wood, "We recognize the Parrot by his clear articulation, For Carrots are unable to engage in conversation." Come on. Even Spot could tell the difference between a parrot and a carrot. Item 103, from 1907. $50.

Item 28 is a later edition (1886) of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. It is something like the 82,000th copy, and as such, you wouldn't expect it to be worth much. It is. This one carries an inscription from mild-mannered professor Charles Dodgson, better known by him penname, Lewis Carroll. $8,500.

John Windle Antiquarian Bookseller may be found online at www.johnindle.com, phone number 415-986-5826.