Oliver Goldsmith; et al. — R. Caldecott&Apos;S Picture Books

London, George Routledge and Sons, 1880-1900. Paperback. Fifteen volumes of Randolph Caldecott's children's picture books, in their original pictorial wraps. Fifteen works in the publisher's original pictorial paper wraps. Eight colour plates to 'John Gilpin', 'The House that Jack Built', 'The Babes in the Wood', 'Sing a Song for Six Pence', 'The Queen of Hearts' and 'The Farmer's Boy&apos. Six colour plates to 'The Milkmaid', 'A Frog', 'The Fox', 'Come Lasses and Lads', 'Ride a-Cock Horse', 'Mrs Mary Blaize' and 'The Great Panjandrum&apos. Lacking the rear of the wrap and the last colour plate to 'An Elegy on the Death of a Mad Dog&apos. Lacking the rear of the wrap to 'A Frog he would a-Wooing go&apos. Collated. Fifteen volumes from the 'Picture Books' series of children's books by Randolph Caldecott, published every Christmas for eight years and sold for a shilling each. Each title features the original colourful wraps with colour plates and black and white illustrations in text. With Routledge's 'Shilling Toy-Books' series catalogued to wraps. This set comprises: The Diverting History of John Gilpin; The House that Jack Built; The Babes in the Wood; An Elegy on the Death of a Mad Dog; The Three Jovial Huntsmen; Sing a Song for Six Pence; The Queen of Hearts; The Farmer's Boy; The Milkmaid; A Frog he would a-Wooing go; The Fox jumps over the Parson's Gate; Come Lasses and Lads; Ride a-Cock Horse to Banbury and A Farmer went Trotting upon his Grey Mare; An Elegy on the Glory of her Sex: Mrs Mary Blaize; and The Great Panjandrum Himself. Randolph Caldecott was a very popular British artist and illustrator known for his influential work with children's books and humorous depictions of hunting and fashionable life. In the publisher's original pictorial paper wraps. Externally, a little faded. Two losses each to the front and rear of the wrap to 'John Gilpin&apos. Front of the wrap to 'John Gilpin' is detached from textblock, and separating from the frontispiece it should be attached to. Wraps are detached to 'The House that Jack Built', with amateur repairs to the spine; rear of the wrap is also separating from the last page. Amateur repairs to the spine of 'Babes in the Wood&apos. Mark to the front of the wrap to 'Mad Dog', which is detached from textblock. 'Mad Dog' lacking the rear of the wrap and last colour plate. Small losses and tears to the wraps of 'Jovial Huntsmen', which are detached from textblock. Amateur repairs to the rear hinge of 'Song for Sixpence'; front of the wrap detached with three small tears. Small tear to the rear of the wrap to 'Queen of Hearts&apos. Amateur repairs to the rear of the wrap and to the front hinge of 'Farmer's Boy&apos. Amateur repairs to the spine and front hinge of 'A Frog', which is lacking the rear of the wrap. Front and rear of the wrap to 'The Fox' are detached from textblock. Small loss to the front of the wrap to 'Ride a-Cock Horse&apos. Binding strained to 'John Gilpin' but held by three cords. Binding slightly strained to 'Babes in the Wood&apos. Pages are a little age toned with the occasional spot, more so to the first and last couple of pages. A couple of the black-and-white illustrations to 'Mrs Mary Blaize' have been neatly coloured in. Pencil marks to the last blank page of 'Great Panjandrum&apos. Good Only . Ill.: R. Caldecott [Randolph Caldecott]. Good Only .