Featured Peter Pan In Kensington Gardens Book

Found this book today. Illustrated by Arthur Rackham. Published by Hodder & Stoughton Limited in London 1951. Text printed by T. and A. Constable Ltd. Edinburgh Illustrations by Henry Store and Son Ltd Banbury. Is this just another book or is this a 1st edition by this company?

 

I love Arthur Rackham's work.

 

https://www.abebooks.com/servlet/Se...n&sortby=1&tn=Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens

 

Roaring thanks for the link. They have a book in my year for $125.

 

95 copies available on abebooks so not scarce. Yours is a 1951 reprint of the book which was originally published in 1906. That's the asking price, not the selling price, for the volume you're referencing. Your copy has a torn spine, an inscription and little Susan's autograph. I would consider it a reading copy.

Debora

 

Thanks Debora. Anything is worth a shot when it's free.

 

I love little Susan’s autograph!

 

This does not answer your question, just some supplemental info. Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens originated as a tale within the larger tale The Little White Bird, which came out in 1902 & was not illustrated except for a frontispiece & a map of the Gardens. It is a story the unnamed curmudgeonly narrator & a little boy named David develop between themselves.

The stand alone story with Rackham illustrations first came out in 1906 & has had many editions since then. I have one from 1918. Back in days of yore, when $125 was more money for everyone but an unconscionable sum for me, I passed up a quarto edition. Still regret it.

This is not the Peter Pan most people know, the one with Wendy, the Lost Boys & the Neverland, which started out as a stage play many years later. This Peter is only 2 weeks old & has only the birds & the fairies for companions &, for one night, a brave little girl who stays after the gates are closed.

 

The Susan in 5-yearold writing is the best part.

 

I too love Susan staking her claim. I would cherish it, but I too adore Rackham's work even in a reprint. All I have are Dover collections.