The Little Pilgrim [A continuous run of the first 39 issues; 1853-1856]

(Periodicals) THE LITTLE PILGRIM [A continuous run of the first 39 issues; 1853-1856]. Philadelphia: Grace Greenwood & Leander K. Lippincott, October 1853 - December 1856. FIRST EDITION. 4to - 12-3/4" x 8-3/4". Contemporary half-binding of black calf and marbled paper covered boards with gilt rules, and gilt lettering stamped to spine, with rubbing to the corners, edges and joints, plus some scratches and wear to the back cover for what is still a quite nice, completely sound copy of the book. 1-24, 1-96, 1-96, 1-96 pp. Plain endpapers with children's pencil markings to front paste-down and FFEP, and gift inscription on first blank matching name stamped in gilt at foot of spine. The Little Pilgrim was an eight page quarto children's newspaper that ran monthly from October 1853 - April 1869. Though the "Pilgrim" began in October 1853, the Lippincotts preferred to begin each volume with the January issue, thus both the October 1853 and January 1854 issues are marked "Vol. I. No. 1."; included in this offering is a continuous run of the first 39 issues, i.e., Vol. I (1853), Nos 1-3; Vol. I (1854), Nos. 1-12; Vol. II (1855), Nos. 1-12; Vol. III (1856), Nos. 1-12. While it was written mostly by Sarah Jane Lippincott under her well know pseudonym, Grace Greenwood, she also attracted original contributions from other well known writers, e.g., Hawthorn, Longfellow, Whittier, et al. The first three issues were not illustrated, but beginning with the January 1854 issue, they were nicely adorned with a masthead by F. O. C. Darley and woodcuts by George Devereux, et al.; some foxing and staining, but for the most part, the pages are in very good or better condition throughout; printed on high quality paper that has remained supple and white. The condition of the book is VERY GOOD. Volumes I, II and III (1854-1856) are VERY SCARCE; the three issues from Volume I (1853), which are all included here, are RARE. # 000811