Peter Parley's annual for 1874
By: with eleven coloured illustrations printed in oil by Ben. George.
Contributors: Martin, William, 1801-1867.; Goodrich, Samuel G. 1793-1860.; George, Benjamin (printer); E. Symmons & Sons
Publisher: Ben. George
Published: 1874
Place of publication: London
Language: eng
Number of pages: 306
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 decorative t.p. includes statement: "33rd Year".

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

Wood-engraved plates are included in pagination.  Plates are unsigned.

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

Publisher's and general advertisements on p. [3-10] 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 calico cloth blocked in gold, black and blind.  Upper cover and spine with yellow, green and blue paper onlays blocked in gold and black.  Spine with imprint: "London  Ben.George".  Lower cover blocked in blind with binder's signature: "E. Symmons & Sons Binders London E. C.".  Boards with bevelled edges; a.e.g.  With light brown painted endpapers.  With ownership inscription: "Mrs. K. Street Cromwell House Skegness".
Table of contents: value: The monarch of the brook; value: How Nelson was avenged; value: The birdcatcher; value: Early struggles of a master; value: A few words on Ashantee; value: The swallows' next; value: Palissy, the potter; value: Something about spirit-rapping; value: The story of a storm; value: The quarrel; value: The dog's revenge; value: The story of James Watt; value: The day of reckoning; value: The stowaways; value: A trying position; value: Glück: the peasant boy of Eisenberg; value: Origin of surnames; value: The padrone; value: An island ramble; value: What they believed in the "good old times"; value: The battle of Evésham: a story of Simon de Montfort; value: Mrs. Carver's plum-pudding; value: Only a cur; value: Poetry.  He maketh his sun to shine; value: The skater.