c1901 – Cynthia’s Brother 1st Edition Rare Illustrated Leslie Keith Harold Copping
 
A very scarce first edition of Cynthia’s Brother, published by The Religious Tract Society, London and printed by Morrison & Gibb, Edinburgh, c.1901. Written under the pen name Leslie Keith by Grace L. Keith Johnston (1843–1904), this engaging Victorian-era novel tells the story of a devoted motherless girl and her older brother.
 
This copy includes a frontispiece and four full-page illustrations by Harold Copping, a celebrated illustrator of biblical and moral works for the Religious Tract Society. All plates are present and accounted for.
 
The RTS was renowned for producing finely illustrated and morally themed literature for women and children from the mid-19th century, making this book an important example of their publishing work.
 
Exterior Condition
 
Bound in publisher’s original light green pictorial cloth, decorated with embossed designs and gilt lettering. The cover remains intact, robust, and in very good condition for its age, with only light wear including faint fading, soft bumping to corners, and small marks.
 
Interior Condition
 
Pages thick, crisp, and lightly tanned.
Occasional foxing and very minor marks or creases.
Front free endpaper missing, though this was likely blank.
A handful of small edge rips (not affecting text or illustrations).
No pen or pencil inscriptions.
A few light cracks in the gutter, but all 255 pages remain securely bound.
 
About the Author
 
Grace L. Keith Johnston (1843–1904), writing as Leslie Keith, was an English Victorian author who produced numerous novels in the late 19th and early 20th century. Her works often reflected themes of family, morality, and women’s lives, fitting perfectly with the RTS’s mission.
 
About the Illustrator
 
Harold Copping (1863–1932) was one of the most prominent illustrators of the Religious Tract Society, celebrated for his evocative biblical and narrative scenes. His illustrations gave life and emotional depth to religious and moral stories, making RTS books highly collectible today.
 
Significance & Rarity
 
Scarce RTS edition – no other copy currently available online.
Early 20th-century example of moral fiction for women and children.
Enhanced with Harold Copping’s beautiful illustrations.
A charming piece of RTS publishing history.
 
Book Details
 
Dimensions: approx. 19 × 13 × 3.8 cm
Weight: approx. 426 g
Pagination: 255 pages (complete)