"Lina, het vermiste kind" – Rare First Edition of a Dress Book

Scarce first edition of Lina, het vermiste kind, one of the earliest Dutch "dress books" published by Adriaan Tjaden in the 1860s.

This charming children's book features six exquisite hand-colored lithographs, with the main characters dressed in real fabric—an innovative technique that set the stage for a new genre of textured books in the Netherlands.

Later editions of Lina omitted the fabric embellishments, making this first edition particularly rare and desirable. The story follows Lina, a young girl kidnapped by a fairground owner at the age of three. Under his care, she becomes a skilled vaulter.

The book shares its unique illustration style with Rudolf en Susanna of beloonde ouderliefde, published by Tjaden around 1865.

While the cover claims these books were translated from English, their source remains unknown, adding an element of literary mystery to this fascinating publication.

A beautiful and rare example of 19th-century children's book artistry.