Books and Manuscripts

(Upton, Elizabeth Boughton, Lady Templeton)
To Her Royal Highness, the Princess Amelia, This Book, representing the Birth-Day Gift or the Joy of a New Doll, From Papers Cut By A Lady...
London: Pub. as the Act Directs Jan. 18. 1796 by (P.W.) Tomkins. First edition. Oblong 4to. Illustrated with an engraved title-page and seven engraved plates by Tomkins after Upton. Old drab stiff paper wrappers, scattered soiling and light wear to same; all edges trimmed; light soiling to plates; in quarter red morocco solander box. ESTC N034290; Osborne II, p. 953; Hind, History of Engraving, p. 295; Not in Abbey, Lewine, Ray, Cohen-De Ricci, or Morgan

First edition of this rare suite of charming engravings designed by Lady Templeton, produced for Princess Amelia (1783-1810), the youngest daughter of British King George III, and published by P.W. Tomkins. The plates depict the young Princess in different playful settings with her new birthday gift of a doll, with subjects such as The Finding of the Doll, My Doll Shall Walk, Doll at Breakfast, Putting Doll to Bed, Lullaby, etc. 

We can locate only six institutional copies, in the Lilly Library, UCLA, the Osborne, Princeton, Indiana University, and Winterthur. This is the first copy we can locate at auction since 1973, and only the sixth copy overall. Rare.