The Crusader's Christmas

c1890, covers cut in the shape of the crusader's armour, and with super lithographs

Author

Publisher

Printing Details

Undated [c1890]. Assumed first edition. Card covers, cut to the shape of the crusader's armour, ribbon bound. Approx 18 × 10cm, unpaginated (12pp)

Printed in Germany, this is a Victorian era Christmas poem. A crusader and his knights leave home on Christmas Eve to fight in the Holy Land, leaving his beautiful wife Genevra. He is fatally wounded, dies, and she pleads with God to lay by his side, a wish that is granted. The book is cut to the shape of the knight's armour, with text verso and a lithograph recto. The only reference I can find to the poem is in an 1890 issue of an Australia newspaper which states "the following original poem by our New York contributor "Broadbrim" will no doubt prove acceptable to our readers."

Condition

Good condition for age. There is some tanning to the covers and contents, and the point and pommel of the sword which stick out on the covers are bumped with the top layer missing. Nevertheless, this remains a rather charming and unusual item item. Previous owner has dated "Dec 24, 1896" to the inside cover.