Four individual chapbooks by the same publisher. First sentence of Nursery Rhymes: "Now shall my pretty Albert ride, And Henry too shall go astride; The little dog shall run one side, And puss shall go on t'other: And Adelaide shall have a walk, And baby too, o'er hill of chalk, And guile the road in pleasant talk, To see their kind grandmother." Includes 16, 11, 16, and 11 woodcuts respectively for each chapbook.
Printed sheets folded into four 16 page booklets. Unopened. 64 x 94 mm. Penny children's booklets. In very good condition, as issued apart from uniform mild age-toning and some closed tears along a few folds.
For remarks on dating, etc. see Brown University collection record under title "Chapbooks published by J.G. Rusher of Banbury, England". British Museum dates one copy "1820?", the other "1840?"; Osborne Coll. concurs with the latter. Provenance: all owned by world famous publisher of miniature books, David Bryce from Glasgow. Handed down in the family by descent until they were purchased in 2025.
John Golby Rusher (1784–1877) was a prominent 19th-century printer and publisher based on Bridge Street, Banbury. He was part of a long-standing family business established by his father, William Rusher, and uncle. He is best known for publishing children's literature "chapbooks"- small, inexpensive paper-covered booklets. Popular titles included nursery rhymes like Old Mother Hubbard, Jack and Jill, and The Cries of Banbury and London. In the early 1800s, his uncle Philip Rusher patented an experimental typeface that removed descenders from lowercase letters to save paper. While J. G. Rusher used this for a few publications, it did not gain widespread popularity. The family was responsible for publishing the 'Rusher's Banbury Directory to Trades and Occupations' from 1832 to 1906, which remains a vital resource for local historians. Beyond publishing, he held official positions such as the holder of the Stamp Office and Legacy Return Office in Banbury.