Object of Desire: ANTIQUE Griset Funny Book About Ashantees Africa Black Negro Chromolithographs

Price: $499.99
Purchase from: http://www.ebay.com/itm/ANTIQUE-Griset-Funny-Book-About-Ashantees-Africa-Black-Negro-Chromolithographs-/221393025238?pt=Antiquarian_Collectible&hash=item338c0d78d6

Paulina says: I want this first edition collectors book, don't you? It should really be in Ghana -no? Wow we Ghanaians have really made an impact on the world --no?

I know we inspired the 'boogeyman' fable, just Google Ahanta king Badu Bonsu II ---but this errrmm, what can only be described as a 'Sambo book' is new to me...

I bet that author, Ernest Griset never set foot in the Ghana of old, --but probably heard crazy stories (some true, some embellished) from plantation owners -and decided to run with it.

Sad that this book was aimed at children but that's how things were in the 1870's. The illustrations make me feel that neither its author or illustrator went to the Gold Coast (Ghana) -do you know what I mean? Still I would love a copy!!!!!!


More Info:
****This very hard to find book is a first edition which I believe was 1873/74 as it is undated. This is "Ernest Griset's Funny Picture Books. A Funny Book About the Ashantees". Inside are little rhymes/poems poking fun at these Africans and chromolithographs illustrating them. It starts with the king smoking his pipe up on top of a hut and then below staring at human heads mounted to poles. "This is the King of the Ashantee, perched up so comically; And here is his gracious Majesty, about to play at Aunt Sally." It shows them at the hunt, play, and with family and ends with "This is the King of the AShantees, At sea in his State canoe; haps he is coming to visit us, As the Shah and the Czar did do." There are seventeen chromolithographs and 12 pages. The book measures app. 11"x8.5". The covers are soft. This is in good condition overall with wear. There is corner, edge, spine wear, bumping, creasing, and foxing to the edges. Most of the inside pages are loose; though, the whole book is there. There is soiling to the covers and some soiling inside which is shown. Please look at all the photos as each page has been photographed. There is some foxing and edge tears to the pages. Page 4 with the lion has the worst soiling with some brownish spots and page 10 the worst tear with a 2" tear going into the litho. The spine was reinforced somewhere down the road with some fabric as shown. The back cover has mathematic pencil computations on it. MORE PHOTOS ARE AVAILBALE IF YOU WOULD LIKE CLOSE UPS. Ebay