The Acquisitions Table: The Death and Burial of Poor Cock Robin

The Death and Burial of Poor Cock Robin.  Philadelphia: Davis, Porter & Coates, ca. 1866-1868.

Poor Cock RobinThis poignantly humorous image of the owl digging departed Cock Robin’s grave is taken from an “indestructible” picture book that had its pages reinforced with cloth for the hard use of young and eager hands.  This hand-colored wood engraving is characteristic of American children’s picture books of the mid-nineteenth century. When Davis, Porter & Coates issued this book New York picture book publisher McLoughlin Brothers was starting to publish picture books mechanically printed using color lithography, revolutionizing the economic production of multi-colored picture books.

Published by

Laura Wasowicz

Curator of Children's Literature, American Antiquarian Society

One thought on “The Acquisitions Table: The Death and Burial of Poor Cock Robin”

  1. Hi Laura, we just found 6 McLoughlin children’s books including

    Mama Lovechilds Series: The Death and Burial of Cock Robin. This has the owl picture above.
    Alibaba or the Forty Thieves
    The Pretty Picture Book distributed by Philadelphia American Baptist Publication Society
    Aunt Oddamadodd Series Silver Sixpence
    Aunt Jenny’s Series, The Three Blind Mice
    Little Red Riding Hood
    Where can I find out more information on their value?
    Thanks,

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