The Child's Book of Nature for the Use of Families and Schools intended to aid Mothers and Teachers in Training Children in the Observation of Nature In Three Parts. Part I. - Plants
New York: Harper Harper & Brothers, Publishers 1874. Later printing. [3], viii-xii, [1],14-120 pages. 5 1/4 x 6 5/8 inches. Dark brown cloth with decoration in blind, spine lettering faded. Many illustrations in the text, mostly of experiments or apparatus. White endpapers. Corners bumped, pencilled scribblings on the endpapers. Pencil markings throughout, front flyleaf lacking, one (blank?) endpaper lacking in rear. Last signature nearly detached from book (only lower thread stitching still holding). Fair. Cloth. [23227]
"Worthington Hooker [1806-1867] was an American physician, born in Springfield, Massachusetts...He graduated Yale University in 1825 and Harvard University with a degree in Medicine in 1829. He practiced in Connecticut until 1852. Afterwards, he was professor of the theory and practice of medicine at Yale. He was vice president of the American Medical Association in 1864." (-wikipedia). Hooker wrote a number of educational texts for children, including the "Child's Book of Nature", First Book of Chemistry, etc.
This 1874 printing was originally printed in 1857. It shows the same "downgrading" of quality in the later printing years as others in this series. The stamped decorations, presumably in the earlier years gilded to attract the target audience (children and their parents) is poorly executed and with no gilt at all. An unimpressive production from a marketing perspective.
Price: $20.00