This stunning and scarce First Edition of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland By Lewis Carroll was published by William Heinemann, London. It features wonderful artwork by Arthur Rackham, perhaps the most sough after illustrator of book collectors. There are 12 colour plates and numerous black and white line drawings. It's bound in green cloth with blind stamped gold gilt decoration to the front board. The book is undated on the title page, but has the 07 date on the front pastedown next to Rackham's name. So the book was published 1907.
In good condition these first editions go for between £300 and £500 so I have priced the book to take into account the wear.
The book is definitely showing it's age and as can be seen from the photos, but it's such a rare book, that even in this condition it's a desirable edition. There is significant loss to the surface of the cloth which has taken away the green colour. The corners are worn and bumped, with minor splitting to the cloth, and the boards show discolouration and marking. The spine is sunned, with splitting to the external back hinge and loss to the spine ends.
Inside, there is tanning to the endpapers and a name plate glued to the reverse of the front free endpaper. The pages show age toning and foxing throughout, but the text is clear and bright. There is one detached plate with it's attached tissue guard, and a neatly written inscription on the reverse of the frontispiece.
Every colour plate has it's own captioned tissue guard and the illustrations by Arthur Rackham really bring this Lewis Carroll book to life.
Dimensions approximately 21cm x 16cm x 2.5cm.
The book will arrive hand wrapped in patterned wallpaper and ribbon.
I use a range of eco friendly, 100% recyclable jiffy bags and boxes, and whenever possible I use brown paper tape. The green bubbled wrap is biodegradable and the clear bubble wrap is 100% recyclable. I also reuse boxes when I feel it's appropriate (if the boxes are sturdy enough).