Treasures & curios

This is a rare Australian example from the hugely popular late-Victorian 'toy book' genre of children's literature. Part of Calvert's Australian picture books series, this 12-page story book takes a traditional European rhyme, 'This is the hut that Jack built', and places it in a uniquely Australian setting.

Innovations in colour printing during the last third of the 19th century were used to create brightly coloured toy books like this one. The popularity of these books and the advances in print technology ultimately led to the birth of the picture book as we know it today.

European toy book publishers often commissioned well-known artists to illustrate nursery rhymes. However, the brothers William and Samuel Calvert engraved blocks from their own drawings to keep the costs down.

William and Samuel Calvert were the sons of English artist Edward Calvert, a friend of William Blake. They emigrated to South Australia and then Victoria in the 1850s during the gold rush. The brothers established themselves in the engraving and printing business, and Samuel also illustrated for the local press.

The Calvert brothers were pioneers of the local printing industry, particularly in introducing colour printing to Australia. Their children's books, however, were also culturally influential. These books introduced innovations in European children’s books, but they also reflected and promoted the growing sense of a distinct Australian identity.