Peter Parley's annual
Subtitle: a Christmas and New Year's present for young people.
Contributors: Martin, William, 1801-1867.; Gilks, Thomas.; Landells, Ebenezer, 1808-1860.; Delamotte, William Alfred, 1775-1863.; Fussell, Joseph, 1818-1912.; Read, Samuel, 1815-1883.; Gilbert, John, Sir, 1817-1897.; Delamotte, F. 1814-1862.; Gray, Charles, engraver, d. 1847; Wall, G. H.; Whymper, Josiah Wood, 1813-1903.; Armstrong, George, fl. 1860s.; Jackson, John, 1801-1848.; Goodrich, Samuel G. 1793-1860.; Clarke, J. O. (printer); Myers (Firm)
Publisher: Darton & Co.
Published: 1855
Place of publication: London
Language: eng
Number of pages: 264
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 colour wood-engraved illustrated t.p. is unsigned and without imprint.  Plate includes areas printed in colour with metal.

Preliminary colour wood-engraved plate is with imprints: "Myers & Compy Licensees." and "Palmer Del.".  Plate is a colour wood engraving produced using the "Baxter Process", with areas and lines that are printed with an intaglio metal plate.  Plate is with title caption.

Wood-engraved plates (except preliminary colour plate) are included in pagination.  One plate is signed as engraved by "T. Gilks" and another by "Landells".

Steel engraved plates are unsigned and without imprint.  All are with title captions.

Some wood-engraved illustrations within the text are signed as illustrated by W. A. Delamotte, J. Fussell [i.e. Joseph Fussell?], S. Read and Gilbert [i.e. John Gilbert?].  Some illustrations are signed as engraved by F. G. Delamotte, Gray, Wall, G & C. Wall, Whimper [i.e. J. W. Whimper?], G. Armstrong [i.e. George Armstrong?], J. Jackson, Gilks and J. L. Dudley.

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.  Upper cover blocked in gold with illustration similar to those within the text.  With pastel yellow endpapers.  With presentation inscription dated 1855.
Table of contents: value: Prose.  An adventure with a bear; value: A few words about the Egyptians, ancient and modern; value: A few words about soluble glass; value: A mysterious adventure; value: A touch with the brigands; value: A visit to the Royal Polytechnic Institution; value: Boiling springs; value: Cardinal Wolsey; value: Christmas Day at the diggings; value: Exploits in the desert; value: Glastonbury Abbey, with the story of King Arthur; value: Gustavus Vasa; value: Jack and Jill; value: Juvenile day at the hall; value: Munufacture of ropes; value: Oranges and lemons; or, The bells of St. Clement's; value: Passage of the desert; value: San Rosalia; value: Sledging; value: Something about boiling springs; value: Something about the Chinese; value: Something more about the Chinese; value: Something about lighthouses; value: Something about the old abbeys and castles of England; value: Something about ships and shipping; value: Something about the Turkish provinces; value: Story of the American sea serpent; value: Story of an Anchorite; value: The boy bachelor; or, Something about Cardinal Wolsey; value: The two Middies; or A fearful encounter with a shark; value: The town pump: a story of the cow with an iron tail; value: The youthful Nelson; value: The old abbeys and castles of England; value: The Queen at Spithead: review of the fleet; value: The rain; or, The child, the fairy, and the magic bird; value: The regimental goat; value: Poetry. The electric telegraph; value: The owl; value: The sailor's grave; value: The willow tree.