universal spelling alphabet amusing instructive (1 Ergebnisse)

7 x 11 in. Wooden slide-top box, with 28 interior box sections containing cardboard printouts of letters (lowercase and capital), numbers, punctuation, and special characters. Hand-colored lithograph slide-top with light creasing and a notable chip above the second ÒAÓ in Òalphabet.Ó Otherwise, box is sturdy and clean. With instruction sheet affixed to the inside of the box, with the lion and unicorn coat-of-arms of the United Kingdom. A rough count of the characters finds circa 380 included. Several large capital characters seem to derive from a separate set. Handwritten inscription on bottom of box reads ÒRuth Mann from Mrs. Coppin Xmas 1923, Seagate.Ó Overall, very good. There is little that can be definitively determined about the production and origins of this alphabet game, and there is no publisher given, but this game is clearly from the late nineteenth century and produced in Britain. The donor's inscription is several decades later. The instructions begin, ÒThe Moveable Spelling Alphabet will be found to be an amusing and instructive pastime for children, by which they will learn to spell with ease and rapidity. They should commence by spelling words of syllable, vz., CAT, DOG, PONY, HORSE, DUCK, &c., &c., afterwards short sentences. when the Stops, Notes, Figures &c., may be introduced in order that they may learn to put them in their proper places, and become accustomed to their uses.Ó The interest in English spelling reform was strong during this period, as is clear from some of the publications on the subject cited by OCLC, but this was also true earlier and later, so it is hard to tie this to any particular movement. This item itself does not appear in OCLC.