{"product_id":"rare-1908-babys-abc-deans-rag-book-david-brett","title":"Baby's A.B.C. (Code No. 80)","description":"\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"13\"\u003e(Alphabet) Baby's A.B.C. (Code No. 80); illustrated by David Brett (pseudonym of Eugenie Richards). London: Dean's Rag Book Co., Ltd., between 1908-1913. FIRST EDITION. 4to - 11-1\/2\" x 7-3\/4\". [18] butterfly-folded double cloth pages including wrappers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"14\"\u003eBound in pink cloth-backed color pictorial cloth wrappers, sewn as issued. The textile edges exhibit the publisher's standard serrated pinking to the head and foot. The condition of the book is VERY GOOD, showing minor spotting to the back wrapper, with foxing and localized staining present on the internal textile pages.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 data-path-to-node=\"15\"\u003eMaterial Construction and Nursery Iconography\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"16\"\u003ePatented at the beginning of the 20th century by Henry Samuel Dean, the Dean’s Rag Book Company produced juvenile books utilizing \u003cb data-path-to-node=\"16\" data-index-in-node=\"130\"\u003ewashable cotton cloth sheets\u003c\/b\u003e and colorfast, non-toxic inks. This copy of \u003ci data-path-to-node=\"16\" data-index-in-node=\"203\"\u003eBaby's A.B.C.\u003c\/i\u003e (Code No. 80) features a \u003cb data-path-to-node=\"16\" data-index-in-node=\"242\"\u003e\"butterfly fold\" construction\u003c\/b\u003e, where the linen leaves are printed on one side and bound back-to-back to simulate the structural rigidity of a traditional board book.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"17\"\u003eThe volume is an alphabet object book illustrated under the pseudonym David Brett by Eugenie Richards, a prolific early designer for the firm. Each letter is paired with a corresponding noun and graphic depiction (e.g., \"A stands for Anchor. B stands for Ball. C stands for Circus\"). Reflecting the pervasive social prejudices and linguistic norms of early 20th-century British juvenile publishing, the entry for the letter \"N\" utilizes a \u003cb data-path-to-node=\"17\" data-index-in-node=\"439\"\u003eracial slur\u003c\/b\u003e to describe a caricature—an inclusion that demonstrates what was deemed acceptable in mainstream Edwardian educational media.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 data-path-to-node=\"18\"\u003eBibliographic Census and Preservation\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"19\"\u003eTextile primers of this era were manufactured as durable toys and routinely subjected to heavy laundering, tearing, and nursery wear, resulting in a low survival rate for unvandalized or complete copies. This volume remains structurally intact with the text block and stitching secure. A current global institutional census via \u003cstrong\u003eWorldCat\u003c\/strong\u003e locates \u003cb data-path-to-node=\"19\" data-index-in-node=\"350\"\u003eonly a single copy in public holdings worldwide\u003c\/b\u003e, preserved within the permanent collections of the \u003cstrong\u003ePrinceton University Library\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"20\"\u003e\u003cb data-path-to-node=\"20\" data-index-in-node=\"0\"\u003eA SCARCE AND STRUCTURALLY COMPLETE EXAMPLE OF AN EARLY DEAN'S RAG BOOK PRIMER, OF NOTE TO SPECIALIZED COLLECTIONS DOCUMENTING THE HISTORY OF MATERIAL CULTURE, TEXTILE PRINTING, AND HISTORIC RACIAL REPRESENTATION IN CHILDREN'S LITERATURE.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e# 001109\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Wallace \u0026 Clark, Booksellers","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":41856319586453,"sku":"001109","price":475.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0459\/2589\/2245\/products\/babysabc.01.20220128.jpg?v=1643434218","url":"https:\/\/wallaceandclark.com\/products\/rare-1908-babys-abc-deans-rag-book-david-brett","provider":"Wallace \u0026 Clark, Booksellers","version":"1.0","type":"link"}