MURRAY, Hannah, née Lindlay. [Attrib.] The American Toilet. New York: Printed and published at Imbert’s Lithographic, 1827. A movable “riddle” conduct book from Imbert’s Lithographic Office, and one of the first U.S. books printed entirely by lithography. Pp 17. Each leaf shows a toiletry item with a hinged flap hiding a moral virtue beneath [e.g., The flap on the image “A Wash to Smooth Wrinkles”, reveals the word “Contentment”.] Approx. 3.75" × 4.75", bound in the original marbled wraps, sewn binding. Most unusually, all the flaps are complete. Most surviving copies are in poor condition and with missing flaps. There is a little loss to the spine, the rear wrapper starting but holding. Ownership inscriptions on the endpaper for H Langdon, above Woodbury Langdon, but sound and with all pages secure and relatively unmarked.
The Winterthur Library states that according to the 1867 edition of this work, sisters Hannah and Mary of New York designed "The Toilet" by cutting out pictures from papers and pasting them into blank books, writing the inscriptions themselves. They sold these booklets to raise money for charities. Eventually, the idea was adapted to a printed version, copies of which are in the Rare Books area of the Winterthur Library.Hannah was born in Pennsylvania. In 1766, she wed John Murray. To this union were born the following children: Elizabeth, Hannah, John, Mary, Susan, Robert, and George. She passed away in Manhattan, New York.
