KING WINTER
[circa 1859]
First edition of this beautiful shape book, detailing the seasonal activities of the Santa Claus-like KING WINTER and his assistant Jack frost – in notably sharp condition.
Near fine.
Price: $800.00
First edition of this beautiful shape book, detailing the seasonal activities of the Santa Claus-like KING WINTER and his assistant Jack frost – in notably sharp condition.
Near fine.
Price: $800.00
"Tell us about KING WINTER, / And about Jack Frost, his man; / We'll not be noisy as naughty at all, / But good as ever we can."
KING WINTER's job is distinctly Santa Claus-like: he inquires about the behavior of children, trims Christmas trees, and delivers gifts, all while wearing a red and white ensemble. Meanwhile, his unnamed wife and his servant Jack Frost go about the actual duties of winter, dusting the world with snow and creating frozen lakes. Indeed, it is Jack frost with his "stiff as a crutch" white beard who lends his shape to this book – the author was clearly aware of who was truly bringing winter to the land.
This edition is nearly identical to Louis Prang's shape book of the same name. Prang made waves in 1863 with his publication of the "first mass-produced book to deviate from a rectilinear format" in the US, but the Library of Congress holds a Seitz copy of KING WINTER that is dated 1859 (PUBLIC DOMAIN REVIEW). It is unclear which publisher was copying which; either way, Seitz editions are scarcer on the market than those by Prang.
Read more: "The First Shape Book: Little Red Riding Hood (1863)," The Public Domain Review.
Hamburg: Gustav W. Seitz, [circa 1859]. 6.75'' x 2.75''. Original shaped color pictorial wrappers. Illustrated with chromolithographs. [8] shaped leaves. Wrapper with mild edgewear; spine with thin, careful repair. Leaves with occasional scattered foxing. Sharp and bright.
We work hard to meet our ethical responsibility to describe our material accurately. All items are guaranteed as described and may be returned for any reason within 30 days. Please notify us before mailing a return.
We guarantee the authenticity of our items. All materials are original (meaning not facsimiles or reproductions) unless otherwise noted. First editions (meaning first edition, first printing) are explicitly stated. TPM is a member of the Antiquarian Booksellers Association of America and upholds their Code of Ethics.
All photographs are of the actual item for sale. We're happy to provide additional images on request.
All domestic orders ship gratis. For orders under $250, free USPS media mail shipping is included; orders $250 and over ship USPS Priority. International orders over $500 also ship gratis. Expedited, overnight, as well as other carriers (UPS, Fed-Ex, etc.), may carry additional costs beyond quoted rates. All orders receive tracking information and a direct contact in case of any questions.
International buyers are responsible for any customs, taxes, and related import fees. Please note that we are unable to accomodate requests to misrepresent, misdeclare, or otherwise falsify customs documents when shipping internationally. We appreciate your understanding.
We accept all major credit cards, Paypal, Venmo, check, money order, and bank wire. We are happy to bill institutional buyers' needs. Sales tax will be added to applicable purchases. Items subject to prior sale.
If for any reason you are dissatisfied with your purchase, please contact us. We prioritize our long-term relationships far above any individual purchase, and we want you to love your item as much as we loved cataloguing it.
Type Punch Matrix is a Washington D.C.-area rare book firm founded by Rebecca Romney and Brian Cassidy.
Read more about TPM.