Peter Parley's annual
Subtitle: a Christmas and New Year's present for young people.
Contributors: Martin, William, 1801-1867.; Leighton, George Cargill, 1826-1895.; Measom, George S., fl. 1845-1862.; Delamotte, William Alfred, 1775-1863.; Landells, Ebenezer, 1808-1860.; Goodrich, Samuel G. 1793-1860.; Aird and Tunstall
Publisher: Darton & Co.
Published: 1856
Place of publication: London
Language: eng
Number of pages: 296
Subjects: Gift books -- Specimens.; Children's literature -- Periodicals.; Boys -- Periodicals.
Genres: Specimens.; Periodicals.
Other titles: Peter Parley's annual :; Peter Parley's magazine
Notes: Added chromolithographed illustrated t.p. with imprint: "George C. Leighton".

Preliminary chromolithographed plate is unsigned and without imprint.  Plate is with title caption.

Three wood-engraved plates are with signature: "Geo Measom Sc.".  Others are unsigned.  Plates are printed with beige background tint.

Most wood-engraved illustrations within the text are unsigned.  Three are signed as engraved by George Measom.  One each is signed "WAD" [i.e. W. A. Delamotte] and "Landells".

Includes wood-engraved decorative and illustrated initials and tail-pieces.

Publishers' advertisements on p. [1]-16 at end.

Part of a series published under various imprints from 1840-1892 that consisted of bound volumes of the monthly numbers of "Peter Parley's Magazine", which began publication in 1839 under the imprint of Darton and Clark.  William Martin edited several numbers of the "Magazine".  In the early years the "Annual" was published with the imprint of its distributors, Simpkin, Marshall and Co.  Cf. Darton, F. J. Harvey.  Children's books in England, 1982.

Believed to be the earliest boy's annual published in Britain.  Cf. McLean, Ruari.  Victorian book design and colour printing, 1972.

The American author S. C. Goodrich claimed exclusive rights to the pseudonym "Peter Parley" and quarreled with its use by both British and American publishers for works of which he denies authorship and for bogus re-workings of his writings under the Parley name.  He also objected to the use of the pseudonym for this Annual, the authorship of which he bears no responsibility.  Cf. Goodrich, S. G. Recollections of a lifetime, 1967.

Faxon, F. W. Literary annuals, p. 108.

St. John, Judith. Osborne collection of early children's books, Vol. 1, p. 406.

Cf. Darton, F. J. Harvey.  Children's books in England, p. 221-228.

McLean, Ruari.  Victorian book design and colour printing, p. 40, 42, 47-48, 58, 62, 192.

Goodrich, S. G. Recollections of a lifetime, v. 2, p. 296.

MASS copy: Bound in red morocco-grain cloth blocked in gold and blind; a.e.g.  With yellow endpapers.  With presentation inscription dated 1855.  With presentation inscription dated 1886.
Table of contents: value: Prose. Adventures of Charles Stuart, the pretender; value: A little lecture for little people; value: The alligator tank; value: The animal world; value: Conquest of Constantinople by the Turks; value: Death and burial of the conqueror; value: Death struggle; value: Doge, the; a Venetian story. Part. I., Part II; value: Edward III., reign of, and heroism of the Black Prince; value: Emblems; value: Eternal city, the; fun and fireworks; value: Forest wanderings; value: Funny things about bears; value: Funny things about frogs; value: Heroism of boyhood; value: Ivan, a Russian tale; value: Last of the Montems, the; value: Little drummer boy, the; value: Ocean world, the; value: Shabby coat, the; value: Sheep shearing; value: Shipwreck mariners, the apparatus for relieving; value: Something about the cuttle fish; value: Something about horses and their doings; value: Starry worlds, the; value: Stars, another walk among the; value: Stars, a final walk among the; value: Story of Prince Arthur, and death of King John; value: Sunny world; value: Trial of the dog growler; value: Wassail bowl on the year 1856; value: World underground, the; value: World underground, another walk in the; value: Poetry. Morals from flowers; value: Serious thoughts of a little child; value: The blind mother; value: The discontented bees; value: The holiday; value: The London boy.