The Toy Shop Alphabet (1857)

This alphabet book, published by Dean & Sons circa 1857, reflects the greater acceptance of play as a vital part of a child’s development in education in the latter half of the 19th century. This alphabet book features children's toys, and each letter of the alphabet has 3-4 examples of toys that begin with that letter, each with its own small illustration.

Interestingly, in this instance, pages 4 and 5 are in the wrong order, meaning the letters M, N, O, and P come before I, J, K, and L in the book. This is likely a mistake made by the printer.