ALMANACK FOR 1885

London: George Routledge and Sons, 1885. Near fine.. First edition of this deluxe variation (in white imitation goatskin) of an almanack for children, with lovely illustrations by Kate Greenaway. Kate Greenaway achieved great success in 1878 with her first solo publication UNDER THE WINDOW, and quickly became a household name. This achievement came after years of study at the National Art Training School and the Heatherley School of Fine Art, where she rubbed shoulders with the likes of Elizabeth Thompson (later Lady Butler), Edward Burne-Jones, and Walter Crane. Her style, featuring rosy-cheeked children and young adults, captures a romantic and cheerful brand of Victorian childhood nostalgia; she was one of the most well-known illustrators of the Golden Age, and her art adorns everything from books to greeting cards to home decor.
The 1885 ALMANACK came in seven binding variations, of which this one is on the more deluxe end. It features a calendar for the year with figures performing seasonally-appropriate duties, much like the labors of the month in a Book of Hours. This is followed by four illustrations of fashionable children dressed for the spring, summer, fall, and winter, and a short poem about the passage of the year. This is a lovely copy of a charming book. 4'' x 3''. Original white imitation goatskin boards with gilt titles. All edges gilt. Yellow endpapers. Illustrated in color throughout. [24] pages. Light rubbing and mild soiling to edges of boards. Occasional light offsetting from illustrations. Sharp and clean.