Three Little Sisters

New York: Robert Carter and Brothers No date; circa 1887; first published in Great Britain. Scarce work by Marshall (1830-1899), who wrote more than 200 domestic novels and historical romances. According to S.D. Mumm, 1990, "Women Writing for Their Lives; Women Applicants to the Royal Literary Fund [Great Britain] 1840-1880," Marshall was one of great numbers of Victorian-era women in dire circumstances who turned to writing as a means of support. By about 1869, Marshall's "pure" tales, previously profitable, became unsaleable with the increased popularity of sensational, "bigamy" novels filled with misery, "illegal love," and other unpleasantness. Ten pages of publisher's advertisments in rear. Tissue-guarded frontispiece engraving; single text plate engraving. Moderate-to-heavy rubbing to cloth at extremities. Few small spot stains to boards, including 1/4" black ink spot at center front board. Old ink prior owner (Sunday School Library) inside front cover; another prior owner penciled inscription front endpaper. One formerly detached signature carefully glue-repaired. Occasional moderate marks/smudges to interior, but generally clean and intact. Size: 16mo - over 5¾" - 6¾" tall