Antique Victorian 1890s Lights to Walk By: Stories for the Young

Such a beautiful little antique book, Lights to Walk By: Stories for the Young, published by Blackie & Son in the late 19th century.

The cover is richly decorated in gold, black, green and soft pink, with the most beautiful rose illustration and the title worked into the design. It’s one of those books that is just as lovely sitting closed on a shelf as it is opened up and read.

Inside are six illustrated stories for children, including Willy Montague’s Lesson, The Visit of the Prince, The Conscript of Lyons, My Friend Jacques, Honesty or Usefulness and God’s Promise. Like so many Victorian children’s books, the stories were written with little lessons in kindness, honesty and good character running through them.

There are also traces of the book’s life before now, including a previous owner’s name and writing inside the front cover, which I always rather love finding in old books.

There is no publication date printed inside this copy. The title was first published in 1881, but this particular edition was published by Blackie & Son, Limited, 49 Old Bailey, London, which dates it to circa the 1890s.

Vintage condition: A wonderfully timeworn antique copy. There is age-related marking and foxing throughout and some previous-owner writing inside. A few pages are beginning to come away from the spine in places, although the book remains intact and all pages are present. Please expect the character and fragility that comes with a book well over 100 years old.

Title: Lights to Walk By: Stories for the Young
Publisher: Blackie & Son, Limited
Published: London, 49 Old Bailey, E.C.; Glasgow, Edinburgh & Dublin
Date: Circa 1890s
Originally published: 1881