Details
ROSCOE, William (1753-1831). The Butterfly's Ball and the Grasshopper's Feast. London: for J. Harris, 1807.
16° (123 x 98mm). 16 leaves, the sheet printed on one side. Watermarked 1807. Engraved throughout, title, 14 hand-coloured illustrations [after WILLIAM MULREADY] including frontispiece, each with 2-line or 4-line verse above. Original printed buff wrapper, woodcuts of a butterfly and grasshopper on front cover, (rubbed, small repair to spine), priced in manuscript 1/6 for the coloured issue.
Harris's most famous production, which spawned numerous imitations. The poem, "Said to be written for the use of his Children, by Mr. Roscoe," had already appeared in magazines the year before and was set to music by George Thomas Smart. This FIRST PICTURE BOOK EDITION with Mulready's illustrations is known in various states of the letterpress covers and with watermark dates ranging from 1804 to 1807. Moon H-725; A & M 23.
16° (123 x 98mm). 16 leaves, the sheet printed on one side. Watermarked 1807. Engraved throughout, title, 14 hand-coloured illustrations [after WILLIAM MULREADY] including frontispiece, each with 2-line or 4-line verse above. Original printed buff wrapper, woodcuts of a butterfly and grasshopper on front cover, (rubbed, small repair to spine), priced in manuscript 1/6 for the coloured issue.
Harris's most famous production, which spawned numerous imitations. The poem, "Said to be written for the use of his Children, by Mr. Roscoe," had already appeared in magazines the year before and was set to music by George Thomas Smart. This FIRST PICTURE BOOK EDITION with Mulready's illustrations is known in various states of the letterpress covers and with watermark dates ranging from 1804 to 1807. Moon H-725; A & M 23.