DRESS BOOK.

Inquire · Offered by Peter Harrington

Rose Merton. The Little Orphan. First edition of this juvenile cautionary tale illustrated with its heroine dressed in real fabric; Rose's changing fortunes are reflected in her changing costumes, from ornate and costly textiles to humble dress and back again. The textile onlays appear to vary between surviving copies.Dean & Son specialized in movable books, rag books printed on washable materials, and morality tales. Publications such as Rose Merton were also described by the company as "dressed figure" books, and are termed stofboeken ("fabric books") when published in Holland. This title is an example of the child-stealing Romani stereotype common to Victorian children's literature.

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