A spooky and playful take on a Victorian autograph book, designed to be passed around to friends. Names are signed in ink pen vertically down the middle of the page, and then the page is folded so that the ink creates a ‘ghost’ pattern as it smudges. A wonderful and scarce curiosity, particularly as a set of three all owned and filled by one person.

The red album was given by Marion Sprol to her cousin Gwen Ledsam in 1905, and the signatures continue through the green and blue albums in numerical order through 1916.

Cecil Henland, the creator of the clever books, was the founder of the National Society of Day Nurseries in 1906. She also wrote many other similar novelty books for children.

London: Dow & Lester, c. 1905. Set of 3. 17 x 10 x 4. Hardback. Some fading and marks to covers, else very good. Two books completed one with several black pages at the end.