CRUIKSHANK’S CHRISTMAS TEMPERANCE

Cruikshank, George (1792-1878)

Stenelaus And Amylda; A Christmas Legend For Children Of A Larger Growth [Illustrated Book] [Christmas Temperance Parable] [Original Wraps]

London: Griffith and Farran, 1858.
Cruikshank’s Original Green Wraps — A rare survival in the original 1858 stitched wrappers.

A scarce and well-preserved survival of George Cruikshank’s mid-Victorian moral crusade, issued in the original ephemeral stitched wrappers. Printed at the renowned Chiswick Press, this 'Legend for Children of a Larger Growth' serves as a sophisticated temperance parable, utilizing Cruikshank’s signature woodcut illustrations to advocate for social reform under the guise of a seasonal folk tale.

By 1858, Cruikshank had largely pivoted from pure satire to overt moral instruction; this work represents the peak of that transition, where the artist’s line is weaponized against the 'demon drink' to foster spiritual and communal renewal.
 
BIBLIOGRAPHICAL FEATURES
+++ Visuals: Three original in-text woodcuts by George Cruikshank, including a repeat of the cover illustration and various woodcut ornaments and initials.
+++ Imprint: Printed by C. Whittingham at the Chiswick Press for Griffith and Farran, London, 1858.
+++ Format: Duodecimo (4.5 x 6.875 inches); 32 pages.
+++ Binding: Original light green card stock wraps; stitched as issued.

CONDITION REPORT
+++ The Binding: Stitched wraps remain tight and square. The original green card stock is remarkably intact, showing only modest age and hand soiling consistent with 19th-century paper ephemera.
+++ The Interior: Text block is clean with light, even age-toning. No significant foxing or damp-staining. Moderate shelf handling wear to the extremities.
+++ Overall Grade: A superior specimen of an inherently fragile format; far more desirable than the commonly found rebound examples.

HISTORICAL & SCHOLARLY CONTEXT
+++ The Reformer’s Tool: By the late 1850s, Cruikshank was the visual face of the British Temperance movement. This work illustrates his belief that art should function as a persuasive moral instrument rather than mere decoration.
+++ Victorian Seasonal Tradition: Framed as a Christmas legend, the narrative connects the era’s tradition of holiday ghost stories and moral fables (popularized by Dickens) with the urgent social reform issues of the industrial age.
+++ Bibliographic Scarcity: While the text was widely discussed, the original 'penny-pamphlet' style stitching led to a high mortality rate for this edition. Surviving copies in the original wrappers are essential for studying 19th-century publishing history and Chiswick Press production standards.

SUBJECTS: Christmas Stories, Temperance Movement, Moral Instruction, Victorian Juvenile Literature, Social Reform, Chiswick Press, George Cruikshank, Illustrated Literature, Moral Parable, First Edition, Ephemera.

REFERENCES: Yale Center for British Art (YCBA); Osborne Collection of Early Children’s Books.

Item #21846

Price: $165.00