Profusely Illustrated
I have a very old “Mother Goose” book and I was curious as to how much it might be worth?
Greetings!
I have a very old “Mother Goose” book and I was curious as to how much it might be worth? Any information that you might have would be greatly appreciated!! Book info is below. I would be happy to send images per your request. 
Mother Goose’s
Pocket of Pleasure
Filled with her
Original Riddles, Rhymes, Chimes, Jungles
and
Lullabies for the nursery and trundle-bed
Profusely Illustrated
1660-1875
Locke & Bubier
23 Franklin Street
BOSTON
Hardback (red/burgundy, gold and black)
Hand written note on inside of the cover. Dated 1875
Books are hard to value.
It says “Pocket of Pleasure” so I am assuming it is a very small book.
It is not the older English version and it’s not John Newbery’s first American version.
The date for publication on that important edition is agreed by scholars to be about 1765 (1760-1766).
“Mother Goose’s Melody: or Sonnets for the Cradle” was a little volume, believed to have been edited by Oliver Goldsmith, in Boston, Massachusetts.
Newbery’s book was widely pirated and numerous editions were reprinted in England, and in America at Boston and New York, with additional rhymes.
It sounds like you have one of these other editions
Old books are not like antiques when it come to value.
I just saw an auction where an original prayer/instruction book from the 1400′s, Church of England, extremely rare, only 5 known copies in the world …..went for only $5000 …. and it was in perfect condition.
A couple of immaculate conditioned real first edition famous titled/authored books only went for $300 and $400, both from the 1800′s.
I did find out that Locke & Bubier, was John S. Locke and John E. Bubier, were publishers and stationers with a decent reputation.
That is why their version was a bit different – notice the titles – they didn’t want to appear pirating the REAL Bostonian Mother Goose book of Newbery.
If the book is in excellent condition, it still might be worth a few dollars but I would not expect anything near $100.
It’s only 135 yrs old.
We have a man in Great Falls, Montana who is 114 yrs old.
Books do not “age” like furniture.
Hold on to it, take excellent care of it, and give it a few more generations.
I’d tell you to have it appraised but that might cost more than the book is worth.
Check the dates and sites of the PBS Antiques Roadshow, if one is going to be anywhere near you, sign up for free tickets, don’t wait, they are free and go extremely quickly.
Grab your antiques and get a free appraisal.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/roadshow/
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