1828 – LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD – FIRST US APPEARANCE

1828 – LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD – FIRST US APPEARANCE – THE ATLANTIC SOUVENIR

1828 – LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD – FIRST US APPEARANCE
THE ATLANTIC SOUVENIR

The Atlantic Souvenir; A Christmas and New Year’s Offering. Philadelphia, Carey, Lea & Carey 1828. Green printed boards, book block measures about 3 3/8 inches by about 5 1/2 inches. Boards detached, spine back gone and separations to book block in several locations as a result. Contains all plates as called for. BAL 843.

The Atlantic Souvenir, as the first American annual of literature, was first published in 1826. This 1828 edition contains the first appearance of James N. Barker’s famous version of Little Red Riding Hood (p. 97-101). This version helped spread this tale to a wide American audience. This story is illustrated with a full page engraving from a painting by Sir T. Lawrence engraved by J. B. Longacre. The anthology also includes first printings of H. W. Longfellow (THE SPIRIT OF POETRY page 38) and Washington Irving (THE DULL LECTURE, page 294).

Published with a cloth backstrip (lacking here), this could be easily repaired by a book binder. Also, originally published in a slipcase with green labels matching the boards of the book itself. A copy was auctioned at Swann Gallery in 2006 for $2160. Another copy was in a Children’s Book specialist’s catalogue a number of years ago for $850 (now deceased and business closed). And, recently another copy sold at auction at the bargain price of $650.