Beschreibung:

Needlework Specimens. Instructions on Needle-Work and Knitting, as Derived from the Practice of The Central School of the National Society for Promoting the Education of the Poor in the Principles of the Established Church, in the Sanctuary, Westminster, 2nd edition, Roake and Varty, 1838, 9 mounted specimens of handiwork (complete), with accompanying text, lightly toned, some light spotting and marks, one leaf with neatly repaired short closed tear to lower blank margin, early ownership inscription to front free endpaper 'Miss Julia C. Ball June 30th 1864 Presented to her by Mrs. Bovis deceased', front hinge split, small stain to lower edge of pastedowns (and corresponding edge of first and final leaves), original blind-stamped brown cloth, upper cover gilt lettered, one or two small ink spots, 8vo (Qty: 1) Rare: Copac lists two copies of the first edition of 1832 (British Library, V&A) and three copies of the second edition (V&A, University College London, National Trust); no first edition traced at auction, and only a defective copy (lacking two specimens) of the second edition traced at auction (John and Monica Lawson's copy, Bonhams, 1 April, 2008, lot 195). The book begins with an explanation of how the girls were instructed 'on the principles of the Madras system, as taught in Dr. Bell's Manual of Instructions, (1827)': each afternoon the children, sitting on benches forming three sides of a square and overseen by assistant teachers, worked at pieces of needlework or knitting according to their proficiency, each girl with a numbered bag in which to keep her handiwork. The final page gives a list of prices for work done by the girls, for example, 'Cravats, per dozen', 'Night Caps, plain', 'Tippets', 'Bed Gowns, Children's', 'Petticoat, without Body or Sleeves', etc., with a note at the end 'The work is done for ready Money only, and the Mistress is empowered to receive the amount'. The sections are entitled: 'Hemming'; 'Sewing and Felling'; 'Stitching'; 'Gathering'; 'Button-Holes', 'Shirt-Making', 'Whipping-Frills, &c.'; 'Herring-Bone'; 'Darning'; 'Marking'; and 'Knitting'. The miniature mounted specimens, with their unbelievably minute stitches, consist of: a blue printed cotton pinafore; a linen shift-sleeve; a fine lawn infant's shirt; a fine cotton gentleman's shirt; a frilled and tucked baby's bonnet; a long woollen under-garment trimmed with silk; a darning sampler; a cross-stitch alphabet sampler in red thread; and a cream worsted stocking.