A very RARE truly FIRST edition of "Child's Play" illustrated by Eleanor Vere Boyle and published in 1852 by Addey & co. Printed "anastatically" throughout, a fascinating relief printing technique developed circa 1840 using a chemical method to lift ink from an existing printed page and transfer it to a new surface (i.e., without requiring the original blocks or metal plates). Comparison with the later colour wood-engraved Sampson Low edition of 1859 [see Alderson 'The Treasures of Childhood' p.77] reveals just how much more of EVB's detailed penwork is preserved in the original edition printed by the short lived anastatic process. Title-page, an additional illustrated title-page, and 16 further full-page illustrations combined with nursery- rhyme texts. Printed on one-sed only on thicker paper. Near fine. Eleanor Vere Boyle (1825-1916), was an accomplished Scottish artist of the Victorian era whose work consisted mainly of watercolor illustrations in children's books which were strongly influenced by the Pre-Raphaelites. Known for being highly detailed and haunting in content, her work featured themes of love and death, amid everyday happy experience, popular subject matter of Pre-Raphaelite art. In fact, Dante Gabriel Rossetti, the founder of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, called her work "great in design." Still, she signed her works "EVB' to obscure her identity, though quickly became one of the most important female illustrators in the 1860s. Very scarce thus, externally original cloth with wear around edges and corners, shelfwear, stains. Inside overall clean and complete, only a bit age toned around margins. Rear board reattached so a bit fragile on opening. Only for E. V. B collectors!!!! Dated from a Copy in the British Museum..."Addey and Co. Old bond Street. [London] Printed at Appel’s Anastatic Press. [1852]"