An Alphabet of Animals Carton Moore Park (Illustrated by Carton Moore-Park) (1899)

Contains a short description and a full-page grisaille drawing for each animal, beginning with A for armadillo and ending with Z for zebra, with vignettes accompanying each letter of the alphabet. It was the first publication by Carton Moore Park, who specialized in animal subjects, and whose artistic style was strongly influenced by Japonisme. The quirky drawings, with the modern-looking crops and close-up perspective, made the book stand out from all other alphabets of the day. The plate of the hippopotamus, for example, conveys the great bulk of the animal by forcing it up against the frame, while the image of the bat has flying almost in the reader’s face. The picture of the leopard is one of several plates that reveal Moore Park’s interest in Japanese art.

Condition: Backstrip lacking, exposing the spine and underlying binding structure. Front hinge a little weak. Some slight marks to text-block, A good working copy