Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens
Hodder & Stoughton, 1910.
First Octavo edition with illustrations by Arthur Rackham. 8vo. Dark olive green cloth covers with lovely gilt decoration to the front upper and gilt lettering to the spine. Green endpapers illustrated with a map of Kensington Gardens. Map of Kensington Gardens on the front free endpaper, with twenty-four colour plates, all under captioned tissue-guards. A very good copy, which shows a slightly toned spine with a little wear to its head and some scattered foxing.
J.M. Barrie's tale of Peter Pan was first published as a Christmas Gift book with colour illustrations by Arthur Rackham. Both the tale and the illustrations were a hit with the critics and public and have become very collectable.
A contemporary review of the first edition in "The World" reads "Mr Barrie has done what no one else has done since the inventor of "Alice", he has invented a new legend, a modern folk story which comprehends all the innermost secrets of the modern child, be he four or forty. Mr Rackham, for his part, has been bewitched in his cradle: he does not dream of fairies or hobgoblins, he knows them."
Stock ID: 46818
