THREE LITTLE CONSPIRATORS. Illustrated by W.H.C. Groome.
London: Wells Gardner, Darton & Co., Ltd., 3 Paternoster Buildings, E.C., N.D. [circa 1925]. Octavo, original grey boards lettered in gilt on spine panel, front panel titled in blind. 192 pp., frontispiece and three additional inserted plates with artwork by Groome. Issued as a volume in Wells Gardner's Florin Series Ink inscription on front free endpaper, dated Owen Sound, Ontario, 1937; head of spine a bit bumped, a very good copy in the original colour pictorial dust jacket which is moderately chipped at the edges with several areas with small loss, particularly at head of spine and top edge of rear panel. Item #312732
¶ Reprint, 1st issued in 1910. The dust jacket depicts an oriental man seemingly threatening a small child who is bound and gagged while two other children cower in the background. It is also possible that the man is showing the child how to wave at the King but seeing as how the frontispiece shows a small kid on a boat with two other oriental men and is captioned "You can torture us as much as you like" and the plot involves some kids getting abducted by "Chinese Spies" I think it likely that what we have here is a juvenile brainwashing combo "Yellow Peril" and "They're Coming For Your Kids" conspiracy theory novel disguised as an early 20th century British Kids book.
Price (USD): $45.00