Peter Parley's annual for 1887
By: illustrated with 16 colored plates.
Contributors: Martin, William, 1801-1867.; Goodrich, Samuel G. 1793-1860.; George, Benjamin (printer)
Publisher: Ben. George
Published: 1887
Place of publication: London
Language: eng
Number of pages: 296
Subjects: Gift books -- Specimens.; Children's literature -- Periodicals.; Boys -- Periodicals.; Girls -- Periodicals.
Genres: Specimens.; Periodicals.
Other titles: Peter Parley's annual for boys & girls :; Peter Parley's annual :; Peter Parley's magazine
Notes: Added chromolithographed decorative t.p. includes statement: "Forty sixth Year".  Plate is printed on glazed paper and is with imprint: "Ben. George, London.".

Chromolithographed plates are unsigned and without imprint.  All are with title captions.

Includes decorative head-pieces, tail-pieces and initials.

General advertisements on p. [1-8] at end include wood-engraved illustrations and are with caption title: "Peter Parley's Annual, 1887--Advertising Sheet.".

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 fine diagonal rib-grain cloth blocked in gold, black and blind.  Upper cover and spine with dark blue paper onlays blocked in gold.  Upper cover blocked in gold with illustrations showing a boy and a girl.  Upper cover includes blocking in gold: "46th Year".  Spine with imprints: "46th Year" and "Ben George  London".  Boards with bevelled edges; a.e.g.  With brown endpapers. Lower free endpaper with ink stamp: "Bound by  E. Symmons & Sons,  London.".
Table of contents: value: Robert Lindsay's inheritance; value: Story of Catherine and her fate; value: Ned Joyce's atonement; value: Rise and progress of banking; value: John Edbrooke's birthdays; value: How Davey got his blue; value: Strange adventures in India; value: Coal; value: Gun Gossip; value: A modern Castor and Pollux.