Peter Parley's annual
Subtitle: a Christmas and New Year's present for young people.
Contributors: Martin, William, 1801-1867.; Weir, Harrison, 1824-1906.; Griffiths, Henry, d. 1849.; Williams, Samuel, 1788-1853.; Gray, Charles, engraver, d. 1847; Cooper, James Davis, 1823-1904.; Jackson, John, 1801-1848.; Landells, Ebenezer, 1808-1860.; Keene, Charles, 1823-1891.; Cruikshank, George, 1792-1878.; Goodrich, Samuel G. 1793-1860.; Doudney, David Alfred, 1811-1894 (printer); Gregory, Collins & Reynolds.
Publisher: Darton and Clark
Published: 1846
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 magazine
Notes: Added colour wood-engraved illustrated t.p. with signature: "H. Weir Del.".

Preliminary colour wood-engraved plate is with signature: "H. Weir. Del" and imprint: "Gregory, Collins and Reynolds 3. Charterhouse Square.".

Plates [3-5] are probably transfer lithographs of originally steel-engraved images.  All include signature: "H. Griffiths Sct." and all are with title captions.

Most wood-engraved illustrations within the text are unsigned.  Some are signed as engraved by G. & C. Wall, S. Williams, Gray, H. Beavan, J. Cooper, J. Jackson and E. Landells.  A few also include the signature: "C. Keene Del.".  One is signed: "GC" [i.e. George Cruikshank].

Includes wood-engraved decorative and illustrated tail-pieces.

Publisher's advertisements on p. [1-32] at end entitled: "List of Some of the Illustrated Juvenile Works, sold by Darton and Clark, Holborn Hill.".  Advertisements include wood-engraved illustrations.

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 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 ownership inscription dated "25th Decr. 1845": "Henrietta Octavia [Delmeye?].  With ownership inscription dated 1880: "Edith [Bowchier?].
Table of contents: value: Peter Parley's New Year's parley; value: An account of one Jack Frost; value: The pilgrim; value: Ancient cities; value: Something about serpents; value: Merinos; value: Deer; value: St. Peter's at Rome; value: Tea; value: Gibraltar; value: St. Saviour's, Southwark; value: Egyptian schools; value: The Tage Malial; value: Parley's walks about London; value: Story of Drake; value: Palms; value: Ruins of Babylon; value: The deformed child; value: Lighthouses; value: The coming of spring; value: Fables; value: Stories about beasts; value: The seasons; value: Travels, by a young sailor; value: The mocking-bird; value: Stories of the queens of England; value: Story of a miser; value: Mungo Park and the frogs; value: Walks among the ruins of Athens; value: A Chinese story; value: Tales from English history; value: Stories about fishes; value: Bill Vacant and Henry Hawkseye; value: The llama; value: French and English; value: The guinea pigs; value: The ephemera; value: Camels; value: The Indian bird; value: Story of a forest; value: The Swiss cottage; value: The coal-mine; value: The rainbow; value: A tale of Palestine; value: Story of the jungle; value: William and his mother; value: Lakes; value: The little angler; value: A sailor's adventures; value: The domesticated rabbit; value: The bull; value: The young soldier; value: Alice Fleming; value: William Tell; value: The Italian boy.