List of figures
Figure 1.Nicostrata unlocking the tower of knowledge and handing over a tabula with
the letters of the alphabet to a novice pupil. – detail of “Typus
Grammaticae”, in Reisch: Margarita Philosophica, Basel 1517,
VI.
Figure 2.Catechismus. D. Mar. Luth. Düdesch unde Latinisch […] [D(octor) Mar(tin)
Luth(er’s) catechism, German and Latin […]]. Magdeburg 1531, title page (Herzog
August Bibliothek, Wolfenbüttel)
Figure 3.Joseph Steuer (ed), Erstes Lesebuch für katholische Stadt- und Landschulen
[…] [First reader for Catholic town and rural schools […]]. Breslau
18423, title page (private copy)
Figure 4.Dla dziatek nauka czytania pisma Polskiego [For children to read Polish
letters]. Vilnius 1633, title page (Jagiellonian Library)
Figure 5.Dla dziatek nauka czytania pisma Polskiego [For children to read Polish
letters]. Vilnius 1633, page 2 (Jagiellonian Library)
Figure 6.Untitled catechism primer from Silesia. Brzeg eighteenth century, first page
(Jagiellonian Library)
Figure 7.Untitled catechism primer from Silesia. Brzeg eighteenth century, last page
(Jagiellonian Library)
Figure 8.ABC. Copenhagen 1731, front page (Royal Danish Library, Copenhagen)
Figure 9.ABC. Copenhagen 1731, page 6 (Royal Danish Library, Copenhagen)
Figure 10.ABC. Copenhagen 1731, back page (Royal Danish Library, Copenhagen)
Figure 11.ABC. Copenhagen [c. 1797–1806], front page (Royal Danish Library,
Copenhagen)
Figure 12.ABC. Copenhagen [c. 1797–1806], page 2 (Royal Danish Library,
Copenhagen)
Figure 13.ABC. Copenhagen [c. 1797–1806], page 9 (Royal Danish Library,
Copenhagen)
Figure 14.Saa Minni CATECHISMUS [The Lesser Catechismus]. Hólar 1686,
title page (National Library, Reykjavík)
Figure 15.A. Hólar 1745, title page (National and University Library of
Iceland)
Figure 16.[Hans Egede]. AAabcdef [Copenhagen 1739], first page (Royal
Library, Copenhagen)
Figure 17.[Hans Egede]. AAabcdef [Copenhagen 1739], page [19] with the
beginning of The Ten Commandments (Royal Library, Copenhagen)
Figure 18.[Otto Fabricius]. AABDEFGH Copenhagen 1796, first page
(Royal Library, Copenhagen)
Figure 19.Otto Fabricius. AABDEFGH Copenhagen 1796, last page with The
Lord's Prayer and a concluding prayer (Royal Library, Copenhagen)
Figure 20.[Samuel Kleinschmidt]. aeiou. [Revised edition]. [Nuuk]
1861, first page (Royal Library, Copenhagen)
Figure 21.The last page of Samuel Kleinschmidt's primer with Carl J. O. Steenberg's
alphabet on the second page. Copenhagen 1878 (Royal Library, Copenhagen)
Figure 22.[Frederik Balle]. ABD. Copenhagen 1910, cover page
(FAJN)
Figure 23.ABC. Bergen 1847, last page (unpag.) (The National Library
of Norway)
Figure 24.Christian Schultz, Forsøg Til En forbedret Abc-Bog [Attempt to an improved
ABC-book]. Trondheim 1779, front page (The National Library of Norway)
Figure 25.Christian Schultz, Forsøg Til En forbedret Abc-Bog [Attempt to an improved
ABC-book]. Trondheim 1779, page 32 (The National Library of Norway)
Figure 26.Lars Smith, Skrive og Læse ABC med Billeder [Writing and reading ABC with
pictures]. Trondheim 1849, front page (The National Library of Norway)
Figure 27.Lars Smith, Skrive og Læse ABC med Billeder [Writing and reading ABC with
pictures]. Trondheim 1849, page 12 (The National Library of Norway)
Figure 28.Lars Smith, Skrive og Læse ABC med Billeder [Writing and reading ABC with
pictures]. Trondheim 1849, page 13 (The National Library of Norway)
Figure 29.Johannes Bureus, RVNA ABC BOKEN […] [Runic ABC Book […]]. Stockholm 1611,
pages 4–5 (Royal Library)
Figure 30.Swenske och Lappeske A B C Book [Swedish and Lappish ABC book]. Uppsala 1638,
last page with woodcut depicting the creation of Eve in Paradise (Uppsala
University Library)
Figure 31.Johannes Gezelius the Elder, Yxi paras Lasten Tawara [The best book for the
Children]. Turku 1666, front page (National Library of Finland)
Figure 32.Kustaa Kuusela, Uusi Kuva-Aapinen [The new picture primer]. Tampere 1904a,
cover page (National Library of Finland)
Figure 33.The ABC with the Catechism, That is to say an Instruction to be
Learned of Every Person, Before he be Brought to be Confirmed by the
Bishop. London 1698, title-page (British Library)
Figure 34.The ABC with the Catechism, That is to say an Instruction to be
Learned of Every Person, Before he be Brought to be Confirmed by the
Bishop. Salisbury 1804, title-page (British Library)
Figure 35.Primer rooster in a North Estonian primer printed in Riga by Johann Georg
Wilcken 1694 (Lund University Library)
Figure 36.Primer rooster in a South Estonian primer from the Riga printing shop Frölich
1741 (The Royal Danish Library). The same rooster was already used in a Finnish
primer printed in Riga by Georg Matthias Nöller 1694.
Figure 37.Bengt Gottfried Forselius, k l m n p r ſ t /. Riga 1694, pages 2–3 (Lund
University Library)
Figure 38.Otto Wilhelm Masing, ABD ehk Lugemisse-Ramat Lastele, kes tahawad luggema
öppida [ABD or reading book for children who want to learn to read]. Tartu 1795,
title page (National Library of Estonia)
Figure 39.Gotthard Friedrich Stender, Bildu-Ahbize [Picture primer]. Jelgawā 1787,
title page (National Library of Latvia)
Figure 40.EEN A/ B/ C/ Boek/ bequaam ende Profijtelijk voor de Jonge kinderen
om te Leeren [An ABC book, competent and profitable for young children to
learn]. Middelburg c. 1790, front page (National Library of the
Netherlands, The Hague)
Figure 41.EEN A/ B/ C/ Boek/ bequaam ende Profijtelijk voor de Jonge kinderen
om te Leeren [An ABC book, competent and profitable for young children to
learn]. Middelburg c. 1790, page 2 (National Library of the
Netherlands, The Hague)
Figure 42.K.D.W. [Kornelis de Wit], Een Nieuwlyks Uitgevonden A.B.C. BOEK […]
[A newly invented ABC book […]]. Amsterdam 1759, front page
(National Library of the Netherlands, The Hague)
Figure 43.K.D.W. [Kornelis de Wit], Een Nieuwlyks Uitgevonden A.B.C. BOEK […]
[A newly invented ABC book […]]. Amsterdam 1759, page 13 (National
Library of the Netherlands, The Hague)
Figure 44.Catholic primer Croix-de-par-Dieu [Criss-Cross]. Rouen c. 1700, unpag. (BNF
National Library of France)
Figure 45.Catholic primer Gros A, B, C [The big A, B, C]. Chaalons 1783, page 6 and 7
(BNF National Library of France)
Figure 46.Protestant primer Instruction aux peres pour leurs enfans. Lyon 1555, unpag.
(BNF National Library of France)
Figure 47.A B C pour les petits enfans selon l’instruction et l’ancien usage de
l’église catholique [A B C, for small children, according to the instruction and
the ancient use of the Catholic church; Catholic primer]. Strasbourg 1789,
titlepage (BNF National Library of France)
Figure 48.A, B, C, Ou instruction des chrétiens [A, B, C, or instruction of Christian
people; Protestant primer]. Meaux 1795–1815, titlepage (BNF National Library of
France)
Figure 49.L'ABC françois. Sachez enfans cest A b c, Pour prier Dieu devotement […] [The
French ABC. Learn children this A b c, to pray to God with devotion […]]. Geneva
1553, title page (Österreichische Nationalbibliothek)
Figure 50.Joseph Pasquier, Syllabaire et premières lectures courantes à l'usage des
écoles primaires [Syllabary and first regular reading for primary schools].
Genève 1852, page 7 (Bibliothèque de Genève)
Figure 51.Joseph Pasquier, Syllabaire et premières lectures courantes à l'usage des
écoles primaires [Syllabary and first regular reading for primary schools].
Genève 1852, pages 8 and 9 (Bibliothèque de Genève)
Figure 52.Namenbüchlin geschriben für die angenden Schuler und einfaltigen […] [Booklet
of names written for future pupils and simple-minded […]]. Zurich 1570–80, front
page (Central Library Zurich)
Figure 53.Neues ABC und Bilderbuch für die Jugend [New abc- and picture book for the
youth]. Bern 1836, front page (University Library Bern)
Figure 54.Neues ABC und Bilderbuch für die Jugend [New abc- and picture book for the
youth]. Bern 1836, page 2 (University Library Bern)
Figure 55.Summario della vita Christiana […] [Summary of the Christian life […]]. Milan
1594, unpag. (Biblioteca Ambrosiana, Milan)
Figure 56.Primer (Alfabeto Volgare Italiano) in the booklet from Steffan Gabriel
Catechismo, cio è, breve sommario della fede […] [Catechism, that is, a brief
summary of Faith […]]. Zurich 1698, page 3 (Central Library Zurich)
Figure 57.Parts of a church building in Giovanni Nizzola, Libretto dei nomi [Booklet of
names]. Lugano 1886, page 29 (library of SUPSI-DFA)
Figure 58.Compendio dell’esposizione della dottrina cristiana […] [Summary of the
exposition of the Christian doctrine […]]. Milan 1879, title page (Biblioteca
Nazionale Braidense Milan)
Figure 59.Compendio dell’esposizione della dottrina cristiana […] [Summary of the
exposition of the Christian doctrine […]]. Milan 1879, incipit (Biblioteca
Nazionale Braidense Milan)
Figure 60.Libretto molto vtile […] [Very useful booklet […]]. Venice 1546, unpag.,
Alphabet & Lord’s Prayer (British Library)
Figure 61.Libretto molto vtile […] [Very useful booklet […]]. Venice 1546, unpag.,
Explanations of Lord’s Prayer (British Library)
Figure 62.Libretto molto vtile […] [Very useful booklet […]]. Venice 1546, unpag.,
Explanations of Lord’s Prayer & Hail Mary (British Library)
Figure 63.Nuovo Salterio […] [New psalter […]]. Venice 1807, title page (Biblioteca
comunale centrale palazzo Sormani Milano)
Figure 64.Nuovo Salterio […] [New psalter […]]. Venice 1807, unpag. (Biblioteca
comunale centrale palazzo Sormani Milano)
Figure 65.Nuovo Salterio […]. [New psalter […]] 1807, page 51 (Biblioteca comunale
centrale palazzo Sormani Milano)
Figure 66.Hernando de Talavera, Cartilla y doctrina en romance del Arzobispo de Granada
para enseñar niños a leer [Primer and doctrine in Romance by the Archbishop of
Granada to teach children to read], Granada c. 1505–1508, front page (National
Library of Spain in Madrid, Hispanic Digital Library)
Figure 67.Hernando de Talavera, Cartilla y doctrina en romance del Arzobispo de Granada
para enseñar niños a leer [Primer and doctrine in Romance by the Archbishop of
Granada to teach children to read], Granada c. 1505–1508, last page (National
Library of Spain in Madrid, Hispanic Digital Library)
Figure 68.Francisco Vélez de Escalante, Cartilla castellana, para que a su tiempo sirva
de entretenimiento al Principe mi Señor […] [Castilian primer, so that in its
time it serves as entertainment to the Prince my Lord […]]. Madrid 1708, page 3
(National Library of Spain in Madrid, Hispanic Digital Library)
Figure 69.Francisco Vélez de Escalante, Cartilla castellana, para que a su tiempo sirva
de entretenimiento al Principe mi Señor […] [Castilian primer, so that in its
time it serves as entertainment to the Prince my Lord […]]. Madrid 1708, page 4
(National Library of Spain in Madrid, Hispanic Digital Library)
Figure 70.Categories of commonly used primer titles
Figure 71.A A a b c d […]. Hamburg 1583, last page (Staats- und Universitätsbibliothek
Hamburg)
Figure 72.Groot A B C Boek. Zeer bekwaam voor de Jonge Kinderen te Leeren [Large A B C
book. Very appropriate for young children to learn]. Amsterdam 1781, [page 2]
(Amsterdam, University Library)
Figure 73.Gita Andersone: Gaiļa Ābece [Rooster ABC]. Riga n. d. [ca. 2012], front cover
(private copy)
Figure 74.Neu ausgegangenes Kinder Lehr-Büchlein [New textbook for children]. Cologne
n. d. (ca. 1790), [page 16] – Facsimile Braunschweig: Archiv Verlag 1989
Figure 75.A a b c d e […]. Vasa, 1914, [page 16] (private copy)
Figure 76.Gita Andersone, Anne Uusen, Kukeaabits [Rooster primer]. Tallinn 2008, page
48 (private copy)
Figure 77.A a b c d e […]. Åbo 1852, [page 3], (private copy)
Figure 78.A Aa b c d […]. Salzwedel n. d. (ca. 1735), [page 6] (private copy)
Figure 79.A A a b c d […]. Turusa 1815, [page 2] (private copy)
Figure 80.Hoch-Deutsches Lutherisches ABC- und Namen-Büchlein […]. [High-German
Lutheran ABC-book and booklet of names […]]. Philadelphia n. d. (ca. 1850), rear
cover (private copy)
Figure 81.Sillabario della lingua tigrè. Ketāb fedél ʼeb tegré [Primer in the Tigrè
language]. Asmara 1904, second title page (private copy)
Figure 82.Anna Charitonovna Macharadze: Bukvar‘ [Primer]. Machačkala 1981, front cover
(private copy)
Figure 83.A A B C D E. Upsaliae: Joh. H. Werner. 1715, page [16], detail (Royal Library
Stockholm). [Everything with God, and nothing without him].
