Peter Parley's annual
Subtitle: a Christmas and New Year's present for young people.
Contributors: Martin, William, 1801-1867.; Griffiths, Henry, d. 1849.; Davey, W. T. 1818-ca. 1882.; Bonner, G. W. 1796-1836.; Landells, Ebenezer, 1808-1860.; Gray, Charles, engraver, d. 1847; Cruikshank, George, 1792-1878.; Osborne, Edgar, 1890-1978.; Goodrich, Samuel G. 1793-1860.; Doudney, David Alfred, 1811-1894 (printer); Darton and Clark.
Publisher: Simpkin, Marshall, and Co.
Published: 1843
Place of publication: London
Language: eng
Number of pages: 376
Subjects: Gift books -- Specimens.; Children's literature -- Periodicals.; Boys -- Periodicals.
Genres: Specimens.; Periodicals.
Other titles: Peter Parley's annual and Christmas & New Years present; Peter Parley's magazine
Notes: Added decorative t.p. printed with areas in an aquatint-like process with engraved lines on a beige background tint.  Plate with imprint: "Griffiths' Chromo-graphic Process".  Preliminary plate printed in the same process and with the same imprint.  Plate is unsigned.

Two steel-engraved plates are with signature: "W. T. Davey".  Others are unsigned. Most are with title captions.

Most wood-engraved illustrations within the text are unsigned.  Some are signed as engraved by Bonner, Landells, C. Gray, G & C Wall and "Landells & Gray".  One is signed "GC" [i.e. George Cruikshank] and another is signed: "J. Browne".

Publishers' advertisements on p. [1-14] at end entitled "Parley's Literary Advertiser".

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 light brown fine diaper-grain cloth blocked in gold and blind; a.e. speckled red.  Upper cover blocked in gold with part of the same illustrated vignette as blocked on the spine.  With light yellow endpapers.  With ownership label: "Edward Leake,  Ludlow.".  With bookplate: "Edgar Osborne  Collectania Juvenilia".
Table of contents: value: Peter Parley to his young friends; value: Wonders of vision; value: The flying fox; value: Old Christmas; value: Something about eagles; value: The life and adventures of Neddy Bray; value: The tower; value: Simple electrical machines; value: Hallowe'en; value: Venice; value: Games for cold weather; value: The alpine pastor; value: Lions of London; value: Falconers and falconry; value: Natural phenomena; value: Robin Hood; value: Wonders of Egypt; value: Bees and wasps; value: Something about bridges; value: Bos.; value: Archers; value: Tale of a wasp's nest; value: Boars and boar hunting; value: Swimming; value: Blind Horace and his sister; value: Plymouth breakwater; value: Something about bears; value: Cricket; value: The lost child; value: Cousin Sarah; value: Parley's summer travels; value: Something about swans; value: Sports and games; value: The great fire of London; value: Pheasants; value: The butcher's tournament; value: The young prince; or, The Wanderer; value: Owls; value: The turkey; value: Little Bridget.