The first piece of good news is that internet sales are holding up. The second is that many of our members are using the opportunity to catalogue long-overlooked stock. More than one reported turning up treasures on their own shelves. This will, of course, reach the market in due course, something to look forward to when we can all get out and about again.
Some items, however, defy research. I bought this hand-coloured print at the 2019 PBFA Christmas Fair at Bloomsbury from Mayfly Ephemera.
It is about A4 size and the publisher’s details have been trimmed away. Expert fashion-historian Jayne Shrimpton has confirmed our dating of c.1830. Nobody, however, has seen anything quite like it or been able to identify the person. There is even debate over their gender.
Can any of your readers help?
Jeremy Carson
Book dealer and PBFA publicity officer
