Colour Book of Nonsense

An incomplete coloured early edition of Edward Lear’s Book of Nonsense. The cover is blue.

I have another copy, with green cover, of what appears to be the same book: A Book of Nonsense by Edward Lear. New York: James Miller Publisher, 647 Broadway.

It is the same as the one in this page which, besides offering page images of the whole book, gives information on the publisher and the probable date:

James Miller, bookseller, moved from 522 to 647 Broadway in 1868, but is not listed as a publisher at that address until 1875. It was probably in that year that the Miller edition was printed, possibly pirated from the Philadelphia edition of Willis P. Hazard. cf. W.B.O. Field. Lear on my shelves. Printed on one side of leaf only; leaf 41 misnumbered 14.

The Philadelphia edition, according to information from Arthur Deex: A Book of Nonsense. Philadelphia: Willis P. Hazard, 1863. First American printing. Some distribution with original title-leaf canceled and imprinted “New York: M. Doolady, agent.”

The book appears in the “Annoucements” section of the American Literary Gazette and Publishers’ Circular for May 1, 1863.