[CHROMOXYLOGRAPY] Evans, Edmund. The Illuminated Scripture Text Book (1872)

Evans, Edmund. The Illuminated Scripture Text Book with Interleaved Diary for Memoranda and A Coloured Illustration for Every Day. London: Frederick Warne & Co., (1872). [5966]

Calf decorated in blind & gilt, 2 7/8 x 4 1/8 inches, covers frayed at the ends and corners. Begins at the half title, lacking free end papers with scuffing to the paste-downs front and back. 108 pp., chromoxylographed frontispiece, title page & front and back of all pages to p. 100. 365 colored illustrations plus frontis & tp. Ruled blank leaves between each page of text. The interspersed leaves in this copy have not been written upon. Good. Full calf.

Date taken from Preface.

Frederick Warne & Co. was founded in London in 1865 by Frederick Warne. "During the last half of the nineteenth century the company built a good reputation for publishing children's books by well-known authors and artists as Edward Lear, Kate Greenway and Walter Crane. The company also published a 'Pictorial' series of books of collections of short essays and illustrations on many non-fiction topics." - wikipedia.

Edmund Evans (1826-1905), one of the most collectible wood-engravers and color printers of the Victorian era. He specialized in full-color printing and employed and collaborated with illustrators such as Walter Crane, Randolph Caldecott, Kate Greenaway and Richard Doyle to produce some of the most sought-after children's books by modern collectors. His woodblock printing technique is known as chromoxylography - color printing from wood, similar in name to chromolithography, color printing from stone - and he was meticulous in the production of color illustration, using a hand-press in the work. He is considered by many to have been the very best wood engraver and color printer in Great Britain during the second half of the 19th century.