two first editions
CARROLL, Lewis.
Alice's adventures in Wonderland.
London: Macmillan and Co., 1866.
8vo, pp. [x], 192. Illustrations by Tenniel throughout. Original red cloth, spine lettered in gilt, upper and lower boards with gilt border and gilt illustrations of Alice to centre of upper board and of a Cheshire cat to centre of lower board, all edges gilt, light blue endpapers. Neat gift inscription (dated Christmas 1865) in black ink. Endpapers slightly creased and rubbed at edges, faint toning to text block, as usual, backstrip becoming detached, otherwise a very good, bright copy.[and:] --- Through The Looking Glass. London: Macmillan and Co., 1872. 8vo, pp. [xii], 224, [4]. Original red cloth, spine lettered in gilt, upper and lower boards with gilt borders and gilt illustrations at centre, dark blue endpapers. Neat ownership signature to verso of front free endpaper, small chip to endpaper, slight rubbing to extremities, a few small spots of soiling to lower board, otherwise a near fine copy. Both works preserved in a single red morocco slipcase.
First editions of arguably the best-loved children's books in the English language. The issue points (and the inscription, dated Christmas 1865) of the first work indicate that this is the correct first issue, containing the misprint of '3' to page '30' and with the light blue endpapers instead of the more common dark green endpapers of the later issues. Though bearing the publication date of 1866 Alice's adventures in Wonderland was issued in time for Christmas the previous year, as nicely illustrated in this copy, given as a gift with an inscription dated 1865.
price on enquiry
* Given as a guide only. Based on an exchange rate of £1 = US$1.987896 for the day 5 July 2008 but liable to fluctuate.
5 July 2008