Up for sale is a FANTASTICALLY RARE illustrated book of childrens' stories from a Boston publisher who specialized in the field.  The book contains an assortment of stories on a wide variety of themes.  (To me, the cover title is misleading as "Little Shepherds" is merely the title of the first story in the book.  As shown by the list of titles, below, the stories are actually rather cosmopolitan.  One is even about Native Americans.)  I know of no other copies of this book for sale anywhere else.

Title:  Little Shepherds and Other Stories

Author:  Anonymous (no author listed)

Illustrator:  Anonymous (no illustrator listed)

Publisher:  D. Lothrop Company (Franklin and Hawley Streets, Boston)

Printer:  Berwick and Smith (Boston)

Copyright year:  1887 [Not explicitly stated, but this is the presumed first edition.]

Hardback book without a dust jacket

Just under 10 inches tall by 7.5 inches wide.

Pages are not numbered.  A hand count shows that there are about 60 pages.

Here is a list of the titles of the stories.  (Each story is a few pages long.)

The Little Shepherds

Archie Takes a Sea Voyage

Johnny in Spain

Seeing the World

Angus Visits Holland

On Donkey-Back

A Fairyland Trip

Little "Oh My!"

The Italian Pipers

The Christmas Window Tree

Great Great Grandma's Christmas in "Merrie England"

Nanee's Doll

The Eve of St. Nicholas - A Story of Germany

A Christmas Tree in Egypt

A Christmas Toy Maker

Helen's Christmas Gift - A Story of Australia

At the very end of the book (printed on the back of the last free page and on the inside of the back board) is a description of other Lothrop products, including magazines such as:  Babyland, Our Little Men and Women, The Pansy, Chautauqua's Young Folk Journal, and Wide Awake, all available by subscription.  These pages have sample illustrations from Wide Awake.  See photo #7 of this listing.

Lothrop and Company was founded in 1868 by Daniel Lothrop (1831 - 1892).  He had been born and raised in New Hampshire.  By age 17, he was in business, running a drug store that he also stocked with books.  In 1850, he bought a dedicated book store in Dover, New Hampshire, that became the largest in the state.  He started his publishing company with the philosophy "never to publish a work simply sensational, no matter what chances of money it has in it, and to publish books that will make true, steadfast growth in right living - not alone right thinking, but right living."

The book I am selling dates from 1887 and gives the business address of Franklin and Hawley Streets.  Lothrop and Company occupied this corner from 1875 to 1887, at which point it moved to still larger quarters on Washington Street.  This would suggest that the copy I am selling is the first edition, issued in 1887, just prior to the move to Washington Street.

Please see above for complete description of condition and photos.  (There are some significant condition issues.)  Sold as is.

Attention US Buyers:  I will ship by USPS Media Mail or by USPS Priority Mail, your choice.  Please note that if you have a Military Mail address (e.g. APO), I must ask that you choose USPS Priority Mail as it is my understanding that USPS Media Mail is not reliable to Military Mail addresses.

Attention International Buyers:  I am exclusively using e-Bay International Shipping.  If you win this auction, I will ship it to an e-Bay facility in the United States.  e-Bay will be responsible for sending it to your international address.  Please familiarize yourself with e-Bay International Shipping before bidding.  Thank you.