The vase of fancy, or, Happy association of mirth and ingenuity : being an elegant collection of riddles, charades, &c. culled from the receptacle at Conundrum Castle / by Peregrine Puzzlebrains.

London : Published at Christmas, 1806, by J. Harris (Successor to E. Newbery), corner of St. Paul's Church-yard, [1806]

1 volume ; 130 x 84 mm

This is a PRELIMINARY RECORD. It may contain incorrect information. Please email catalog@folger.edu for assistance.

Great Britain -- England -- London, -- publication place.

272987

From dealer's description: "‘Culled from the Vase of Fancy, at Conundrum Castle’ PUZZLEBRAINS, Peregrine, pseud. The Vase of Fancy; or, Happy Association of Mirth and Ingenuity: being an Elegant Collection of Riddles, Charades, &c. Culled from the Receptacle at Conundrum Castle. By Peregrine Puzzlebrains. London, ‘published at Christmas’, J. Harris (Successor to E. Newbery), 1806. First (Second) Edition. 24mo (130 x 84 mm), engraved frontispiece (from the first edition, dated 1798) and pp. xi, [i], 132, the solutions given on the last four pages, some light stains in the text, in contemporary green roan-backed marbled boards, printed paper title label on the front cover, small later shelf mark label on the front cover, extremities worn, with the contemporary ownership inscription of F.G. Cornish, Given him by his Mama, 1817’. £2200 A charming collection of riddles and conundrums in verse, compiled by ‘Peregrine Puzzlebrains’ and modelled on Christmas Amusement or, the happy association of mirth and ingenuity: being an elegant collection of original riddles, charades, &c. Culled from the Vase of Fancy, at Conundrum Castle. By Peregrine Puzzlebrains, published by Elizabeth Newbery in 1799. The frontispiece, which depicts ‘the Vase of Fancy’, presumably sitting in an alcove at Conundrum Castle, is dated 1798 and is the same one used by Newbery in Christmas Amusement, and the Advertisement, although reset, is the same as that used in the Newbery publication. There is an additional footnote to the Advertisement present here, which explains, ‘Mr Puzzlebrains is a near relation of Peter Puzzlewell, Esq; whose production, in 3 vols. were published a short time since by E. Newbery, and have been honoured with extensive circulation and flattering applause’. The three page introductory Advertisement sets the scene for both works, introducing the author as a near relation of the better known ‘Peter Puzzlewell’, and explaining how last winter several visitors to Conundrum Castle (which is a little to the west of the metropolis) decided that each of them should compose their best riddles, charades, rebuses or enigmas and then place them in an elegant Vase. The following Christmas they planned to return together and revisit the contents of the vase during the festive season. Following the Advertisement, the text is largely new. Where Elizabeth Newbery’s Christmas Amusements offered 106 Riddles and 7 Charades, the present Harris publication comprises 100 Riddles and 73 Charades. Both works include a key to the solutions bound at the end of the text. The two final charades of both works, Herring and Farewell, are the same, but while some other riddles are repeated, such as Looking-Glass, Tea-Kettle and Windmill, the majority of both Riddles and Charades are different in each book, even to providing different Riddles for the word Parrot. Roscoe J310 (in yellow boards); not in Osborne Collection. ESTC t126052; OCLC lists BL, Case Western & NLS." Ordered from Amanda Hall, D9773, 2025-09-27, offered during visit to the Folger

272987