A Child's Garden of Verses by Robert Louis Stevenson - 1899 Henry Altemus Antique Edition

An antique 1899 Henry Altemus (Philadelphia) edition of Robert Louis Stevenson's beloved A Child's Garden of Verses. First published in 1885, this enduring collection of children's poetry includes classics like "My Shadow" and "The Lamplighter," written with the warmth and imagination Stevenson carried from his own often bedridden childhood.

A lovely example of turn-of-the-century bookmaking: celery green cloth boards with gilt title and floral decoration, gilt and black lettering on the spine, Art Nouveau decorated endpapers, a green and red title page, and a frontispiece portrait of the author. 155 pages plus 16 pages of period Altemus publisher advertisements at the rear, standing about 6 1/2 inches tall, with laid-in clippings included.

Condition is Used - Fair: gilt on the cover is worn and the boards show age rubbing, and a young reader long ago added pencil markings on the endpapers and drawings on interior pages, along with light toning and foxing. Full of character and history, it's a charming find for Stevenson enthusiasts and collectors of antique children's books.