1853 Byerly's New American Spelling Book with Watercolor Bird and Animal Engravings clever painting though long gone now

though long gone now

and the other I have no idea

I found all of these together (stashed inside a small wooden wagon) and since I believe one can never have too many color cubes

Putting it back together once taken apart takes some thought

Very realistic looking

1853 Byerly's New American Spelling Book with Watercolor Bird and Animal Engravings clever painting though long gone nowAnother week, another 19th century school speller, because I can simply not resist a good one, and especially not one with a watercolor bird on an end page! This one, Byerly's New American Spelling Book, was published by M. Polock, Philadelphia, in 1853. I purchased it from a wonderful dealer in PA, who shares my love of naive fraktur style watercolors, and indeed this tri color bird looks very Pennsylvania to me. With wonderful engravings too,