Children's Illustrated Books

New York: Harcourt, Brace & World; Atheneum, 1977. First editions, first printings. Hardcover. Near fine. First U.S. edition, first printing, of the first title; true first editions, first printings of the remaining titles. "Over Sea, Under Stone" is fine and bright; the dustwrapper is price-clipped and has the tiniest bit of wear at the edges, else it is fine as well. "The Dark is Rising" has a tiny bit of spotting on the top edge, and a bookplate on the front pastedown, else is in fine condiiton; the dustwrapper is not price-clipped,but has a short closed marginal tear and crease along the top of the rear panel; it is first state without the Newbery Honor sticker. "Greenwitch" has a small bit of wear on one corrner else is fine in a fine, unclipped dustwrapper. "The Grey King" is fine in green printed cloth; the dustwrapper is price-clipped else is in fine condition, and is first state without the Newbery Medal sticker. "Silver on the Tree" has a light residue from an old price-sticker on the… Read More

New York: Harper & Row, 1963. Hardcover. Near Fine/Very Good. First edition with the publisher's price and the correct first issue code on the front flap. Cloth and papercovered illustrated boards. A bit of foxing to the boards, near fine in a modestly toned, very good dustwrapper with a couple of faint splash marks. Nicely Inscribed by Sendak in 1966 with a small drawing of a dog.

New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1892.. Publishers quarter vellum and boards, t.e.g., others untrimmed. Binding somewhat soiled and worn, former owner's bookplate, otherwise a very good copy. Cloth folding box. First edition, limited issue. One of an unknown number of out of series copies, unnumbered, in addition to 250 numbered copies, signed by the publisher. In this copy, on a sheet of matching handmade paper inserted in place of the front free endsheet Field has neatly copied out his poem, "Little Boy Blue," in red and black ink, in his diminutive hand, with rubricated initials at the beginning of each stanza and two small hand-colored drawings (a toy soldier and a toy lamb) in the margins. Beneath the poem is his presentation inscription, which reads: "For My Dearest and Most Beautiful Julia, Ever yours devotedly, / Eugene Field." On integral blank leaves at the back of the volume the author has written out his poem, "Dutch Lullaby" (beginning "Wynken, Blynken and Nod one night / Sailed off in… Read More

First Trade Edition. One of 1000 copies published in May of 1888. Illustrated by Walter Crane and Jacob Hood. Original Japanese vellum pictorial boards - rubbed, small stain at foot of spine, endpapers discolored by binder's glue, else internally clean. Very Good in a great custom folding-case. A solid copy of a title that's rare in nice original condition.
A work that bolstered Wilde's fame and which he described as "partly for children, and partly for those who have kept the childlike faculties of wonder and joy, and who find in simplicity a subtle strangeness."

(NY) The Century Co. (1889)., 1889. First printing. BAL 7117. Tall 4to. 145 pp. 19 B & W illustrations by Edward. W. Kemble. Original pictorial yellow paper over boards (illustrated front and rear covers and spine), printed in red and black. One of Harris' southern masterpieces. The book has some light spinal darkening, but is completely readable, with light wear at the extremities; the hinges are tight. A very good plus book. In the very RARE original fragile dust jacket. The jacket has been archivally backed, with some edge restoration, and is visually quite stunning. Housed in period custom slipcase. A true rarity in jacket.. 1st Edition. Hardcover. Very Good/Dust Jacket Included.

1837. Kjöbenhavn, 1837-1847. Bound in one nice contemporary half calf binding with blindstamped and gilt ornamentation to spine. Gilding vague, also the gilt title. Minor bumping to corners. Internally a bit of scattered brownspotting, but overall unusually nice, clean, and fresh. A truly excellent copy. See collation below. A magnificent set - unusually nice and clean and bound together in a contemporary binding, which is almost never the case - of the first edition of this exceedingly rare collection of Andersen's earliest fairy tales. This legendary fairy tale-collection that created the fairy tale-genre and brought Andersen international fame, consists in six parts that together make up two volumes. As with most of the other few existing copies, the present set is a mixture of issues (though here, merely two of the parts are in second issue). "With the passing of each year, Andersen's genious brought forth new "wonder stories", and the fame he had so desperately craved and striven for became… Read More

Louis Janet. Paris. ND. circa 1875. Third edition. Small 8vo. (5.9 x 4.4 inches). xvi, 157pp. Thirteen hand coloured illustrated plates (including extra title page) with movable pull tabs to change the image. An asterisk next to the text tells when the movable should be used to animate the scene. A crease to the top of the half title page and a few minor thumb marks to a handful of leaves, otherwise a very good, fresh and clean copy in the publishers red morocco-grained cloth with blind stamped decorative border to both boards. Gilt lettering to the front board. Coated mid brown endpapers. All edges gilt. A superior copy of this rare movable. First issued in 1831, there was a second issue in 1837 and then this third, circa 1875, with the text printed by Ducessios of Paris. All three printings are rare, and copies in such good condition and with all tabs present and easily workable, as this one even more so. Sometimes described as the first interactive book published, this is certainly the first to use… Read More

DAHL, Roald. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Illustrated by Joseph Schindelman. NY: Alfred A. Knopf [1964]. 8vo, [xii] 164pp. Red cloth with spine stamped in gold and front cover in blind; top edge red. Mustard endpapers; b&w illustrations throughout. Slightest wear to corners and spine ends, else a remarkably fine copy in original color pictorial dust jacket (some minor wear along top and bottom edges). With a bookplate signed by the author, Roald Dahl, laid-in.
First edition, bearing the six-line colophon. Willy Wonka's famous chocolate factory is opening at last! But only five lucky children will be allowed inside. Charlie Bucket dreams of being one of the five, but he can't even afford the chocolate that contains the golden tickets. But when by a great stroke of luck he ends up with the fifth and final ticket, he finds himself on the adventure of a lifetime! The basis for two major motion pictures.

London: Methuen and Co, 1908. First Edition. Near fine/Near fine. Graham Robertson. 8vo. 7 1/2 x 4 3/4 in. (190 x 120 mm). pp. [1] + viii + 302 + i. Laid paper, deckle edges, t.e.g. With a captioned frontispieces, "And a River went out of Eden", on coated paper after a pen-and-ink drawing by Walford Graham Robertson (1866 - 1948); tissue guard. Original blue-green cloth with gilt illustration on the spine (Toad dressed in a driving outfit and goggles) and upper cover ( Pan playing flute to Rat and Mole by the river) and a single gilt rule on the upper cover. In the second issue publisher's pictorial peach-color dust jacket printed in black with price of 7/6 instead of 6/-.The spine of the dust jacket slightly darkened but in excellent condition with a couple small tears at head expertly repaired on verso; scattered foxing and discoloration to dust jacket and pages, wear to spine edges consistent with age. [Grolier: One Hundred Books Famous in Children's Literature, no.61; Osborne I, p. 349; Hunt… Read More

Paris, P. Didot l'Aîné, 1802.
Very large folio [680 x 510 mm] of (2) ll., 103 pp., 1 engraved frontispiece printed in colors and enhanced with watercolor and 22 out of pagination numbered plates, including 1 on double-page. Engravings in the text. Some slight foxing. Bound in contemporary brown Russian leather, covers richly decorated with gilt fillets and neo-classical borders, spine ribbed and decorated, gilt edges. Contemporary binding by Ph. Selenka with his label.
Rare first edition of this superb work of which only 160 copies were printed.
Vicaire, Manuel de l'amateur, IV, 741; Graesse, Trésor de livres rares, IV, 59; Brunet, III, 714; Cicognara 3960: " edizione di massimo lusso "; Monglond V, 1124-1125; Palau 128972.
"Published at 200 fr.; this work has been, according to 'La France littéraire' by Quérard, printed in a limited edition of 160 copies"
(Vicaire).
The mosaic mentioned on the title (of about 13 x 9 meters) was discovered on December 12, 1799 in Italica (today the city of… Read More

First edition, first impression (Collins Clear-Type Press: London and Glasgow, 1958). Signed and inscribed by the author to the front endpaper: "To Nina, with best wishes, Michael Bond". The dedicatee is Nina Froud who was a personal friend of the author and worked at his literary agency. The first book in the Paddington series where one of the most iconic and beloved British fictional characters first appeared, later going on to form the basis of several ongoing TV and successful film adaptations. Publisher's original red cloth with silver lettering to spine containing illustrations by Peggy Fortnum. A beautiful, fine and pristine book throughout, save for a touch of off-setting to endpapers. Appears unread. The original complete dust jacket is not price-clipped and is in unusually superior condition with a chip to spine head - not affecting any lettering - and a closed tear to top of upper panel fore-edge with a couple of tiny and inconspicuous nicks to the top edge of lower panel. A very rare… Read More

London: Macmillan & Co., 1876. Book. Fine. Hardcover. First Edition. 12mo - over 6¾" - 7¾" tall. First Edition, First Issue, with "Baker" not "Butcher" at p. 83. Marvelouly bound by Kelliegram (stamp-signed on rear turn-ins) in hunter green crushed morocco featuring The Baker at ship's railing in the center of the front cover, with gilt floral decorations at corners of covers, spine, and turn-ins, red silk end papers, ribbon marker, all edges gilt. Bound with the original First Edition cloth covers and spine at rear. Fine in all regards in a gorgeous and whimsical Kelliegram Fine binding..

THE HOBBIT, 1st American edition, 1st state with bowing Hobbit on the title page, J R R Tolkien, Houghton & Mifflin, Boston & New York, 1938. All points correct for 1st edition, 1st state. No signatures, inscriptions, book plates. No foxing, stains or handling marks. A very clean copy with excellent boards, spine and maps. The original dust jacket has tears and losses, missing the front flap, colours very good, now in archival protective cover.

Matched pair of very early editions, complete with laid-in card signed by the author, "Rev. C.L. Dodgson. Ch. Ch. Oxford".
"Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" by Lewis Carroll [Macmillan, 1882]. 69th thousand (10th printing). Illustrated by John Tenniel. Gilt cover design, spine titling, and page edges. Partially removed bookplate of Samuel Barker inside front cover. Significant foxing to title/tissue but textblock clean. Hinges solid. Some soiling to front/back cover. Overall, Good+.
"Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There" by Lewis Carroll [Macmillan, 1872]. 32nd thousand (6th printing). Illustrated by John Tenniel. Gilt cover design, spine titling, and page edges. Clean exterior apart from one drink ring on lower back cover. Old inlaid cutout sticker of boy carrying wheat on front endpaper. Minimal foxing, etc. Hinges solid. Overall, Very Good-.

1.Cm 32x24; 12 tavole, legatura in punto metallico, copertina originale a colori, cartoncini e ad ante mobili. 2. Cm 32x24; 20 tavole. 3. Cm 32x24; 12 p. 4. Cm 32x24; 12 p; 5. Cm 32x24; 24 p. 6. Cm 32x24; 12 p.; 7. Cm 32x24; 8 p.
First editions.
Ten titles were originally designed for this series, but only seven of them were actually published in Verona by Mondadori in 1945. The last two have been recently published in Mantua for the types of Corraini.
Giorgio Maffei, Munari. I Libri, cit., p. 66-75; Bruno Munari, Prime idee. Progetti, disegni e bozzetti per l'editoria, a cura di Claudio Cerritelli, Milano, Libri Scheiwiller, 2001, p. 28-31.