My Child-Life, M. Josephine — Presumed 1st Edition

£70.00

My Child-Life, M. Josephine — Presumed 1st Edition

Name: My Child-Life, M. Josephine — Presumed 1st Edition
Brand: Broadhursts Books
SKU: 3437-?-VG-
Price: 70.00 GBP
Availability: InStock

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Publication: London, T. H. Rees, 1853

Formatting: 12mo

Condition Report: Good. The book is housed in its original blind-stamped cloth boards, which display moderate fading and overall discolouration commensurate with its mid-nineteenth-century origins. The extremities exhibit rubbing, with bumped corners and slight wear to the spine ends, though the binding remains reassuringly tight and structurally sound. All edges are gilt, remaining largely intact albeit slightly dulled by time. Internally, the text block is relatively well-preserved but displays scattered foxing, most notably affecting the preliminary leaves; the steel-engraved frontispiece and the printed dedication page bear both foxing and a faint moisture stain to the lower margin. Despite these cosmetic blemishes, the volume presents as a solid, completely legible, and authentic survivor of its era.

Catalogue Note: A notably scarce, presumed first edition of this mid-Victorian work. The volume is distinctly unrecorded in standard institutional catalogues, suggesting it may have been privately printed or issued in an exceedingly small run for a select circle.

The book is illustrated with a charming steel-engraved frontispiece titled "Kate," executed by the prominent nineteenth-century engraver Henry Cook, accompanied by a short verse. The printed dedication affectionately inscribes the work to "Elizabeth Noble Aldham" from "her sincere friend, the authoress". There are no subsequent manuscript ownership signatures, bookplates, or institutional stamps, leaving the printed dedication as the primary evidence of the book's immediate social provenance.

Given the complete absence of this title on the open market, this copy represents a rare opportunity to acquire an otherwise lost piece of Victorian children's literature or personal memoir.

My Child-Life offers an intimate, evocative glimpse into nineteenth-century youth, penned under the name M. Josephine. Likely intended for a close-knit circle of family and friends, as evidenced by its affectionate dedication to Elizabeth Noble Aldham, the book captures the sentimental and moral contours of Victorian childhood. Accompanied by a delicate steel engraving by Henry Cook, this obscure and deeply personal volume stands as a fascinating artifact of private Victorian literary culture.

Book Condition: Very Good

Book Authors: M. Josephine

Book Publisher: T. H. Rees

Book Language: English

Narrative Type: Non-Fiction

Genre: Autobiography, Biography & Memoirs

Book edition: First Edition

Signed: No

Book Pages: 123

Book Publication Year: 1853

Book Publication Date:

Book Binding: Cloth

Illustrator:

Book Series:

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.