Printed Ephemera — 1793
The London Fashionable and Polite Repository
This pocket book was published by the bookseller William Lane. He founded the Minerva Press in 1790. Lane's innovation was to establish a network of circulating libraries in rural areas outside London to which he offered cheap books wholesale. He became wealthy publishing light romantic fiction, particularly fashionable Gothic novels, and eventually retired to Brighton.
Pocket books like this one were aimed at women, who made up the bulk of Lane's readership. It contains a short romantic story, poetry and tables for recording household expenditure. The words to songs sung at Vauxhall Gardens and instructions for popular dances are also printed. Inside the cover are prints of 'Ladies in Fashionable Dresses' and the 'most Elegant Head dresses for the Year'. The pocket book was designed to be both light reading and a lifestyle guide for socially aspirant women.
- Category:
- Printed Ephemera
- Object ID:
- 60.86
- Object name:
- The London Fashionable and Polite Repository
- Object type:
- Artist/Maker:
- Lane, William
- Related people:
- Related events:
- Related places:
Minerva Press, 33 Leadenhall Street, City of London, London [City of London], City of London
- Production date:
- 1793
- Material:
leather, metal, paper, ink
- Measurements/duration:
- H 120 mm, W 86 mm (overall)
- Part of:
- —
- On display:
- —
- Record quality:
- 100%
- Part of this object:
- —
- Owner Status & Credit:
Permanent collection
- Copyright holder:
digital image © London Museum
- Image credit:
- —
- Creative commons usage:
- —
- License this image:
To license this image for commercial use, please contact the London Museum Picture Library.