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"Peter Pauper's Limerick Book"

 
                                                                                                                                                                                                                           


Anon: 
Peter Pauper's Limerick Book 
As Dr. Limerick has kindly informed me, there are various editions of this book, most not dated. 
In our discussions, we have given them arbitrary names (Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, Delta, Echo, Foxtrot), in no particular order other than "whichever version we could get our hands on first, comes before the others". 
(As another collector has put it, "I am allowing myself to be swayed into military style categorization by that terrible fellow..." ;-))) 
Here's what we could find out about the book.
Library of Congress data: 
Records 1 through 2 of 2 returned.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Title:         Peter Pauper's limerick book : a collection from many sources
               / illustrated by Herb Roth.
Published:     Mount Vernon, N.Y. : Peter Pauper Press, [1940]
Description:   76 p. : ill. ; 22 cm.
LC Call No.:   PN6231.L5P64
Subjects:      Limericks.
Other authors: Roth, Herb, 1887-1953.
               Rogers, Bruce, 1870-1957, former owner. DLC
Other authors: Peter Pauper Press.
               Frederic W. Goudy Collection (Library of Congress) DLC
               Pforzheimer Bruce Rogers Collection (Library of Congress) DLC
Control No.:   368
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Author:        Peter Pauper Press
Title:         Peter Pauper's limerick book, a collection from many sources,
               illustrated by Herb Roth; purified, rev. & published by the Peter Pauper Press.
Published:     Mount Vernon, [1954]
Description:   109 p. illus. 22 cm.
LC Call No.:   PN6231.L5P64 1954
Subjects:      Limericks.
Control No.:   6981501
The above seem to correspond to versions Alpha and Delta, respectively.

version Alpha

not dated (1940? Cf. Library of Congress note on the top pf this page)
77 pages
342 limericks
illustrations in brown ink
top edges of the pages dyed in brown ink
cover title printed on a separate piece of paper pasted in a rectangle area embossed in the cover itself (the same method was used for the title placed on the spine)
tan slipcase
slipcase: 
 cover: 
 title page: 
 Madras limerick: 
 colophon: 
[scans: Gigol collection]
[also in: Deex collection]

a copy of this edition in the Deex collection has been re-bound in red leather with gold "LIMERICKS" on the spine, and complete limericks printed in gold on black insets on front and back covers: "A vessel has sailed from Chicago" (front) and "A girl who weighs many an oz." (back)
cover (front): 
 cover (back): 
[scans: Deex collection]

Funnily enough, there seems to be a "light Alpha" edition, the only differences being a somewhat lighter background for the cover and a much lighter slipcase without the thumb indentation: 
slipcase: 
 cover: 
[scans: Gigol collection]

version Bravo

not dated (1942? Cf. note on limerick 1581 in "The Limerick" by G. Legman)
93 pages
331 limericks
illustrations in brown ink
top edges of the pages dyed in brown ink
slipcase
slipcase: 
 cover: 
 title page: 
 Madras limerick: 
 colophon: 
[scans: Gigol collection]
[also in: Deex collection]

version Charlie ("red dog")

not dated
83 pages
306 limericks
no illustrations
top edges of the pages dyed in red ink
slipcase
slipcase: 
 cover: 
 title page: 
 Madras limerick: 
 introduction: 
[scans: Gigol collection]
[also in: Deex collection]

the following variants of this version are known: 
colophon: 

[scan: Gigol collection]
[also in: Deex collection]		 colophon: 

[scan: Deex collection]
[also in: Gigol collection]		 colophon: 

[scan: Deex collection]
 

a copy of this edition (Ivory Victorian paper variant) in the Gigol collection has been re-bound in cloth
[scan: Gigol collection]

version Delta

1954 copyright notice
109 pages
395 limericks
illustrations in bright red ink
dust jacket
dust jacket: 
 cover: 
 title page: 
 Madras limerick: 
 colophon: 
[scans: Gigol collection]
[also in: Deex collection]

version Echo

not dated (1942? Cf. note on limerick 1581 in "The Limerick" by G. Legman)
93 pages
331 limericks
illustrations in blue ink
top edges of the pages dyed in red ink
red slipcase with a merry young maid of Rochelle
slipcase: 
 cover: 
 title page: 
 Madras limerick: 
 colophon: 
[scans: Deex collection]
[also in: Gigol collection]

version Foxtrot

not dated (1940? Cf. Library of Congress note on the top pf this page)
77 pages
342 limericks
text and illustrations in brown ink
saddle-stitched paper cover of mallow pink or light tan (possibly a cheaper binding version of Alpha)
cover: 
 title page: 
 Madras limerick: 
[scans: Deex collection]
Many thanks to Arthur for sharing his expertise! 
And as many thanks to Doug for his encouragement: 
Peter Pauper's a bit of a bitch -- 
There's a limbibliography hitch! 
    Perhaps it's that you're 
    Still assuming he's poor 
When, with all his disguises, he's rich!
If you have a different edition or variant, please do let me know: e-mail me at the following address (minus spaces):
PPLB @ limeryki.pl 
Please visit also the other Peter Pauper's limerick books page. 
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