Peter Puzzle-all's New and Improved Riddle Book; or, Amusing Companion. Containing some of the best Enigmas, Charades, Rebusses, Anagrams, Conundrums, &c. ever printed

[Children's Education]

Publication Date: 1819

About this Item

London: Dean and Munday, 1819. 12mo, 35 pp. Original printed wrappers. Covers and folding color frontispiece both detached, frontispiece with large chip from top left corner, some offsetting but generally clean. ? A rare children's puzzle book; no copies on OCLC. The publisher's catalogue on lower wrapper lists "Puzzle-all's entertaining Riddle Book", which was published the previous year and is recorded on OCLC in just a single copy (at the British Library). Dean and Munday was headed by two sisters, Mary Ann and Anna Maria, who were born into the Bailey dynasty of publisher's. Their mother Susanna Bailey printed under her own imprint after the death of her husband and, after her death in 1810, willed the company solely to her two daughters. "For whatever reason, Susan left her sons only a pittance. In her will 'The whole of my business and?everything thereunto belonging' was left to her daughters. By that time, both girls had married apprentices from their parent?s shop, Mr. Thomas Dean (Sr.) and Mr. William Munday. Nevertheless, Susan?s will stipulated adamantly, that the business was 'for their own sole use and benefit absolutely not to be subject of control of any present or future husband?my two daughters will share equally any profits arising from the printing business?for their own solo use and benefit absolutely independent of any present or future husbands?' Indeed, records show that the company Dean & Munday had both sisters, Mary Ann Dean and Anna Maria Munday listed as its principals between 1812 and 1840. Perhaps it was because of all the babies the sisters bore, or the customs of the early nineteenth century, that regardless of Mother Susan?s attempts to ensure the female succession of the business, it would become identified primarily with the husbands." (From Dean & Son Publishers - A Short History: As published by vintagepopupbooks.com in the May 2013 edition of the Movable Book Society Newsletter, "Movable Stationary".).

Seller Inventory # 126242

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Peter Puzzle-all's New and Improved Riddle Book; or, Amusing Companion. Containing some of the best Enigmas, Charades, Rebusses, Anagrams, Conundrums, &c. ever printed
• Publication Date: 1819
• Binding: Soft cover
• Seller catalogs:
  • Children's Books