Chatterbox, Founded by J. Erskine Clarke — 1st Edition

£32.50

Chatterbox, Founded by J. Erskine Clarke — 1st Edition

Name: Chatterbox, Founded by J. Erskine Clarke — 1st Edition
Brand: Broadhursts Books
SKU: 5090
Price: 32.50 GBP
Availability: InStock

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Publication: London, Wells Gardner, Darton, & Co., Ltd., 1909

Formatting: 4to, pp. [iv], 412.

Condition Report: Very Good. This copy presents exceptionally well for a children's annual of the period, with the original highly decorated blue cloth binding remaining remarkably bright and the elaborate gilt, black, and copper tooling unrubbed and sharp. The pictorial pastedown onlays on the front board, featuring an elderly cobbler and a group of children, are fully intact and free from significant scratching or peeling. The spine is tight and squarely bound with only minimal shelf-wear and light bumping to the extreme head and tail. All page edges feature a striking, unoxidised gilt finish that retains its brilliance. Internally, the hinges are perfectly sound without cracking. The endpapers and preliminary leaves, including the Sunday School prize plate, exhibit moderate scattered foxing, but the interior text block and illustrations remain largely clean, bright, and free from the heavy handling or child's markings typically found in such publications.

Catalogue Note: Presented in the publisher’s deluxe secondary binding, this volume features full cloth and gilt edges, which was sold at a premium compared to the standard cloth-backed pictorial paper board versions of the era. The work is profusely illustrated throughout with full-page and in-text engravings, as well as several striking chromolithographic colour plates, complete with original tissue guards, capturing the quintessential late-Victorian and Edwardian aesthetic.

Of particular note is the charming Sunday School prize bookplate affixed to the front pastedown, presented to Phyllis Halstead by the Lumbutts U.M.C. Sunday School in December of the year it was issued, providing a superb contemporary provenance. Due to the traditionally high attrition rate of children's annuals from heavy use, finding a copy in such wonderfully preserved, bright condition on the open market is quite uncommon.

A quintessential treasure trove of Edwardian childhood, this volume of Chatterbox offers a captivating window into the literature and entertainment of the early twentieth century. Brimming with serialized adventure stories, moral fables, poetry, educational articles, and an abundance of magnificent illustrations, this beloved annual was originally designed to delight and instruct the youth of its day. Today, it remains a charming piece of nostalgia and a striking collector's object, wonderfully showcasing the golden age of highly decorated publisher's bookbindings.

Book Condition: Very Good

Book Authors: J. Erskine Clarke

Book Publisher: Wells Gardner, Darton, & Co., Ltd.

Book Language: English

Narrative Type: Children's

Genre: Children's Fiction & True Stories

Book edition: First Edition

Signed: No

Book Pages: 412

Book Publication Year: 1909

Book Publication Date:

Book Binding: Hardcover

Illustrator: Various

Book Series: Chatterbox

Country/region of manufacture: London, United Kingdom

Book Dimensions:

Book Condition Guide

We stock thousands of books in a wide range of conditions. To make things clear and to help you know exactly what to expect, Please refer to these condition categories to understand the condition of the book you will receive.

Condition	Description
New	A brand-new, unread and professionally handled book. Carefully preserved from publication to purchase, these books are offered in the best attainable condition. This grade applies to recently published titles that have not entered long-term storage.
As New	The book is in pristine, original condition as if just published. No signs of use or handling. The dust jacket (if present) is equally flawless. This grade applies to any book that has remained untouched in storage for years.
Fine	The book is close to As New. It remains bright and attractive, but could show minor imperfections to the boards and/or dust jacket (if present). Its pages are typically clean and unmarked.
Near Fine	The book has a number of small flaws, i.e. slight rubbing to the edges, or tiny chips or creases to the dust jacket (if present). Its pages may have faint marks, or creases that are barely perceptible — nothing that detracts from their overall condition.
Very Good	The book maintains its structural integrity, and has no major flaws such as tears to its binding or pages. It may, however, show signs of careful use, handling, or storage — small marks and creases, light foxing. Its dust jacket (if present) remains fully intact, but small tears may be present.
Good	A book that remains intact and readable with complete text pages, but shows moderate signs of wear and use to both the book and dust jacket (if present). It may have noticeable creases, nicks, or stains, and the spine likely shows fading, bumping, and rubbing. There could be writing, underlining, and other marks on some pages, though the majority will be clean and tidy.
Fair	A book with significant wear or damage. The text pages will be complete, but there may be heavy underlining, highlighting and staining throughout, and the book’s endpapers, half-title, and copyright pages could be damaged or missing. The binding could be loose, and the dust jacket (if present) may have notable scuffs or tears. These copies are usually of interest for content, signature(s) or scarcity.
Poor	A heavily worn book whose value lies in its complete and legible text. A poor book will have substantial defects — loose joints or hinges, detached covers, loose and/or missing pages, and could be heavily soiled. A poor book is also known as a reading copy, and although compromised, can hold historical or bibliographic significance.