PETER PAN IN KENSINGTON GARDENS. With Drawings by Arthur Rackham, A.R.W.S.
London: Hodder & Stoughton. 1906. First Edition. Edition de Luxe. Large quarto, bound in the original full white vellum with gilt lettering and decoration, top edge gilt, others untrimmed. Endpaper with map of Kensington Gardens, illustrated title page, and 50 colour plates mounted onto brown art paper and protected by captioned tissue guards (at rear of book), complete as issued. The Signed Limited edition, limited to 500 copies signed by the illustrator, this copy is signed by Arthur Rackham but this is an unnumbered extra copy, with the limitation statement crossed out in pen - we have never heard of another copy such as this, and it is unnoticed and unmentioned in any bibliography. Upper front corner with a tiny bump, covers slightly splayed as usual with these full vellum bindings, spine panel very slightly browned; lacking the fragile silk ties. Overall, an excellent copy in lovely, attractive condition. Item #312421
¶ One of Rackham's earliest successes, and the book that launched him into the upper ranks of Edwardian Book Illustrators. Before the Peter Pan as we know him today took full form in J.M. Barrie's 1904 play, an infant Peter Pan first appeared in Barrie's book THE LITTLE WHITE BIRD (1902). After the success of the play, Hodder & Stoughton excerpted the sections from the earlier book to produce this lovely limited edition, now titled PETER PAN IN KENSINGTON GARDENS. Issued before the trade edition of this title, this illustrated limited edition is the true first. A beautiful copy of one of the scarcest and most desired Rackham limited editions.
Price (USD): $6,000.00