Andrew White Tuer

History of the Horn-Book, Volume II

(Leadenhall Press, 1897)

This richly illustrated volume contains a space for storing ‘horn books’.  These educational tools had been used to teach reading from mediaeval times. The striking purple ‘battledore’ horn book, embossed in gold on its highly-coloured back, features a comical poem bordering the main content. The illustrators include Birmingham School artists Georgie Cave France (later Gaskin), C. M. Gere and Celia Levetus, whose image ‘Taskmistress’ won an award.