Mille. Riego de la Branchadiere [Eleonore Riego de la Branchardiere] — The Useful Knitting Book

London, Simpkin, Marshall, and Co. 1868. Paperback. A very scarce little knitting book written by a pioneer of the craft, who was appointed as Artiste in Needlework by the Princess of Wales. The Useful Knitting Book, a very scarce handbook written by crochet and knitting pioneer Eleonore Riego de la Branchardiere. Published by Simpkin, Marshall, and Co. in 1868.In the publisher's original colour paper wraps, with a folding colour frontispiece of the various different items that Branchadiere teaches to make in this work.Starting out at a young age, Branchadiere wrote numerous knitting and crochet works that popularised the craft across Europe, with many of her designs becoming fashion statements, winning prizes at London's Great Exhibition at 23, and appointed Artiste in Needlework by the Princess of Wales at the time of publishing.Numerous families hit by famines and agricultural woes across Europe during the mid-nineteenth century pursued knitting as a means of earning money, and this little work, including stockings, and jackets, would have inspired many to knit themselves. In the publisher's original paper wraps. Small creases across wraps, and signs of edgewear, with small chips to the head and tail of the spine, and a slightly heavier chip to the bottom extremity of the front wrap. End papers are generally bright and clean, with a couple of small tape marks to front end papers and smudge marks with signs of browning. Internally, firmly bound. Pages are generally bright and clean, with browning to the extremities of the first, and slightly heavier to final leaf. Good Only . Ill.: Unknown. Good Only .