THE BIRTHDAY: A MERRY TALE WITH MANY PICTURES.

New York: Harcourt, Brace & World, 1954. Unpaginated, oblong (8 7/8" H x 12 3/4" D). Copyright date of 1954, but later printing with price of $4.50 on dust jacket. Endpapers with charming pattern of kittens and balls of wool, colour illustrations throughout by the author/illustrator of "Pitschi". "In a clearing in the forest lived old Lisette with her animals. There was a rooster, eight rabits, and one goat. Happiest of them all were the cats, Mauli and Ruli, and the little dog Bello, because they were allowed to sleep in the house at night and to help their beloved Lisette with the housework. On her seventy-sixth birthday, Lisette went off to the village, and while she was gone Bello and the rest of the animals prepared for her a wonderful birthday surprise. The happy occasion and its most satisfactory conclusion are vividly portrayed in strong yet delicate line and six brilliant colors by Hans Fischer, the internationally known Swiss illustrator, muralist and printmaker." Bump at bottom of spine; small tear at bottom of hinges - repaired; paper is split on inside hinges but hold very firmly, the front board has a very small stain, a tiny scuff at the top edge and some very small areas of dried glue near the top edge; tiny scuff on rear board; very small dent to top edge of both boards; light edge wear - mainly on bottom edge, slight toning to board edges; light browning to edges of text block. Dust jacket has light edge wear, a few small and tiny edge tears - mainly at top/bottom of spine and flap-folds; rear panel has one tiny scuff, one tiny dent, and soft wrinkling at top edge; light browning to edges; a few tiny areas of dried glue near top edge of front panel; protected in a mylar sleeve.. Later Printing. Hard Cover. Good/Good. Illus. by Hans Fischer..