1853 Byerly's New American Spelling Book with Watercolor Bird and Animal Engravings winged seal and I believe quite old--it

and I believe quite old--it has the feeling of French tapestries to me

yellow glass eye (on one side only)  and long beak

the other recently sold at a Potter + Potter

part of what really makes it is the visceral effect of layered and overlapping forms and colors

with bent twigs for the sides and woven ash splint I believe for the back and seat

1853 Byerly's New American Spelling Book with Watercolor Bird and Animal Engravings winged seal and I believe quite old--itAnother week, another 19th century school speller, because I can simply not resist a good one, and especially not one with a watercolor bird on an end page! This one, Byerly's New American Spelling Book, was published by M. Polock, Philadelphia, in 1853. I purchased it from a wonderful dealer in PA, who shares my love of naive fraktur style watercolors, and indeed this tri color bird looks very Pennsylvania to me. With wonderful engravings too,