VALENTINE WRITER The New London Valentine Writer for the Present Year, Ryle & Co., [c.1840]

VALENTINE WRITER The New London Valentine Writer for the Present Year, folding frontispiece with hand-coloured wood-engraved scene of a courting couple by a stream, title with wood-engraved vignette of a 'country dandy' within an ornamental border, the 8pp. text folded and unopened as issued, untrimmed in publisher's illustrated wrappers (the front wrapper repeating the title-page, the rear with a vignette of a courting couple in an arbour), small 8vo, Ryle & Co., [c.1840] Footnotes: An extremely rare Valentine writer in fine original folded condition, printed by Ryle & Co. of Seven Dials. There is a reference to a similar copy in the collection of Nancy Rosin, President of the National Valentine Collectors Association, and possibly a second in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, whose collection Rosin is currently cataloguing. There also exists a Ryle variant with a different frontispiece, whilst the British Library has a copy of a similarly-titled writer published by J. Fairburn. The 'guide' provides suitable examples of Valentine messages, usually in rhyming verse, for an 'anchor-smith', brewer, blacksmith, bricklayer or builder, baker, bookbinder, cheesemonger, 'coach-maker', 'cabinet-maker', 'currier', groom, engineer, fishmonger, grocer, hatter, mason, newsman, printer, and painter. Following each message are examples of appropriate 'favourable' and 'unfavourable' responses from the recipient, frequently also in verse. This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: • • Zero rated for VAT, no VAT will be added to the Hammer Price or the Buyer's Premium. For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com For further information about this lot please visit the lot listing