Small Books for the Common Man : A Descriptive Bibliography.

John Meriton, with Carlo Dumontet

ISBN 10: 0712350217 / ISBN 13: 9780712350211

Published by British Library, London, 2010

About this Item

The century before the mid 19th saw a rich outpouring of cheap popular literature; chapbooks of tales, histories, verses, primers and alphabets. This volume provides an analytical bibliography of the National Art Libraryâ s substantial collection of such ephemera, a field made difficult by the rarity of surviving editions and the scarcity of detailed descriptions. Nearly 800 titles are recorded with enough precision to allow reliable comparison of editions, variants and states. The pamphlets are visually striking, and representative images from every item are reproduced here as a vivid reference resource. 1008 pages, illustrated. Original printed boards, covered in later laminate. Small split to the spine at the top of the front board. Contents quite clean throughout. Size: 17.5 x 25 cms. Category: Books on Books; New Arrivals; ISBN: 0712350217. ISBN/EAN: 9780712350211. This item may require more postage than the rates shown for delivery outside the UK. If extra postage is required we will contact you before processing your order and you will be given the details and option to decline the extra cost. Cosmo Books : 29 years on ABE, 47 years taking care of customers. A bookseller you can rely on.

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Bibliographic Details

• Title: Small Books for the Common Man : A Descriptive Bibliography.
• Publisher: British Library, London
• Publication Date: 2010
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0712350217
• ISBN 13: 9780712350211
• Binding: Hardcover
• Condition: Good
• Seller catalogs:
  • Books on Books

About this title

Synopsis

The hundred years prior to the mid-19th century saw a flowering of ephemeral publishing often referred to by the shorthand 'chapbooks'. This book is an analytical bibliography of the National Art Library's collection of literary ephemera of the period; that is histories, tales, verse collections, primers and alphabets. This publishing phenomenon is notoriously difficult to control bibliographically because few titles and editions have survived. Only a small proportion of survivals have been described in sufficient detail to differentiate for the purposes of study.Nearly 800 titles are described here in significant detail, to allow accurate comparison and verification with editions, variants and states in other collections. The pamphlets are visually very appealing with many illustrations, some hand-coloured in varying degrees of skill. Examples of illustrations from all the books described are reproduced here, providing a visual feast and resource. The book will appeal to all custodians of libraries and collections containing literary and educational ephemera. It will provide support for current research into literary studies and work on literacy and language development.

About the Author

John Meriton is Librarian of the National Art Library and Deputy Keeper of the Word and Image Department,Victoria and Albert Museum, London. Carlo Dumontet is the Library's Special Collections Bibliographer.