St Valentine's Day and Valentines (Signed copy)

Inscribed by the author, W H Cremer, proprietor of one of Victorian London's most important toy shops

Author

Publisher

Printing Details

Undated [1871]. First edition. Small hardback bound in pebbled cloth with gilt titling and angel design to upper board. 15 × 12cm. 15, 8, 10, [4] pp.

This copy inscribed by the author to the ffep, "With the author's comps", and with a further inscription underneath (non-authorial).

Full title: St Valentine's Day and Valentines, A Few Words on the Subject. With a Page or Two on Parisian Toys before the Investment: A Tale Told by Themselves

A rare book by William Henry Cremer, owner of London's most famous Victorian toy shop (the European Toy and Game Warehouse at 210 Regent Street, London; the address at which this book was published) and one of the earliest British stockists of Jumeau dolls, also renowned for his doll's hospital and for his Magic and Conjuring books.

The book is in two sections, the first being a brief history of Valentine's Day from the earliest times through to the 1870 (he notes 1,545,755 Valentine's cards were sent in that year!). The second section is a short tale on the lack of toys and dolls in France due to the Franco-Prussian war and the Siege of Paris. This is followed by press notices on W H Cremer's goods, games, Easter Eggs etc, and fionally, four pages of adverts for W H Cremer, including his 'Easter Egg Galop' (this includes reference to chocolate Easter Eggs which must be one of the earliest mentions as the first was commercially produced in the UK by J S Fry & Sons in 1873), his entertainments for evening parties and his conjuring saloon (magic lessons in Regent Street), and finally for his Doll's Hospital, which promises "lost hair restored, bodily defects remedied, damaged limbs made whole, impaired vision set right, and young heads put on old shoulders".

Each page has a decorative border relating to the text, be it rabbits playing the violin, a monkey playing the drums, dolls, Easter Eggs, or little angels delivering Valentines Cards.

Condition

Fair condition only. The red cloth binding is marked and stained, with patches of fading. The inner binding fragile but intact. There is some heavy tanning to the title page, and light tanning throughout but the book remains readable with gentle handling.

Further images available on request.

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