IN ORIGINAL DUSTWRAPPER
The Wind in the Willows
Methuen, 1908.
First edition. Original blue-green cloth with gilt vignettes and titles to the spine and upper cover, in original brown dustwrapper printed in blue. Top edge gilt. Publisher's advertisement leaf loosely inserted. Striking black and white frontispiece by Graham Robertson. A near fine copy, crisp and bright with just trivial wear and some internal foxing and browning, in a dustwrapper with extensive restoration to spine and minor reinforcement to edges and joints.
The Wind in the Willows began life as a series of bedtime stories told to his son Alastair. Upon retiring from his position as secretary of the Bank of England, Grahame returned to Cookham where he had grown up and set about composing the stories into a full length novel. The book was rejected by several publishers, in one case with the memorable response, "An irresponsible holiday story that will never sell."
On publication the book was was well received without being a runaway success, but demand was sufficient to spawn a series of editions illustrated by different artists. It is now one of the most affectionately and highly regarded children's books of all time.
It is original dustwrapper (distinguishable from much later printings showing 7/6 on the front panel), this ranks as one of the great rarities of 20th-century literature and a keystone book in any collection of children's literature.
PROVENANCE: I.D. Margary (bookplate to front pastedown).
Osborne p. 349; Grolier Children's 61
Stock ID: 41790
£60,000.00
