Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens. From the Little White Bird -
J. M. Barrie, Arthur Rackham
1912 - Hodder &, London - First Thus - best edition with Rackham&rsquo
A superior example of the best edition with 50 delightful illustrations by Rackham who 'seems to have dropped out of some cloud in Mr. Barrie’s fairyland, sent by a special providence to make pictures in tune to his genius' - Pall Mall Gazette.
In Peter Pan In Kensington Gardens, Peter, not wanting to grow up, spent his time amongst the enchanted birds, trees, animals, and magical folk of the park, he also meets and falls in love with a little girl named Maimie Mannering. Peter and Maimie were developed by Barrie into the slightly older Peter Pan and Wendy, for the play Peter Pan, or the Boy Who Would Not Grow Up.
‘The still air is filled with the ringing of hundreds of little fairy bells,
but the sweetest sound of all,
is the fluting of Peter Pan’s pipes as he calls to the spring to make haste,
because with the spring comes Wendy.'
Following the great success of his stage play. Barrie asked Rackham to provide the illustrations after seeing the exhibition of his work for Rip Van Winkle. The lavish Christmas gift book established Rackham as the leading illustrator of his day. First published in 1906, Rackham's illustrations for Peter Pan were reprinted several times before this new 1912 edition was produced, with several new illustrations, including a new frontispiece. Considered the best edition of this title, being in a larger format with the plates now bound throughout the text in their proper order, rather than grouped together at the end; it also includes the first appearance of the new colour frontispiece.
Arthur Rackham (1867-1939), English illustrator and water-colourist. One of the foremost and most productive of the Edwardian illustrators, with a preference for illustrating books of a mystical, magic or legendary background. Aided by advances in colour printing at the beginning of the 20th century, his imaginative eye saw all forms with the eyes of childhood and created a world that was half reassuring and half frightening, whilst adding a delightfully humorous flourish to many of his illustrations, although he can descend into darker depths as seen for Wagner and Edgar Allan Poe.
References: Riall, A New Bibliography of Arthur Rackham, 114. House, Dictionary of British Book Illustrators and Caricaturists 424. Bleiler, Checklist of Fantastic Literature 126. Book Collector No.271, 'The Great Illustrators'.
Quarto (book size 27.7x22.3cm), pp. [6] 126 [2]. In publisher’s light green cloth, intricately illustrated and lettered in gilt to spine and upper board, green card endpapers, all edges trimmed. Condition: Near fine, very light spotting to first and last page, minor toning to gilt and cloth on spine. Ref: 112215 Price: HK$ 9,000
In Peter Pan In Kensington Gardens, Peter, not wanting to grow up, spent his time amongst the enchanted birds, trees, animals, and magical folk of the park, he also meets and falls in love with a little girl named Maimie Mannering. Peter and Maimie were developed by Barrie into the slightly older Peter Pan and Wendy, for the play Peter Pan, or the Boy Who Would Not Grow Up.
‘The still air is filled with the ringing of hundreds of little fairy bells,
but the sweetest sound of all,
is the fluting of Peter Pan’s pipes as he calls to the spring to make haste,
because with the spring comes Wendy.'
Following the great success of his stage play. Barrie asked Rackham to provide the illustrations after seeing the exhibition of his work for Rip Van Winkle. The lavish Christmas gift book established Rackham as the leading illustrator of his day. First published in 1906, Rackham's illustrations for Peter Pan were reprinted several times before this new 1912 edition was produced, with several new illustrations, including a new frontispiece. Considered the best edition of this title, being in a larger format with the plates now bound throughout the text in their proper order, rather than grouped together at the end; it also includes the first appearance of the new colour frontispiece.
Arthur Rackham (1867-1939), English illustrator and water-colourist. One of the foremost and most productive of the Edwardian illustrators, with a preference for illustrating books of a mystical, magic or legendary background. Aided by advances in colour printing at the beginning of the 20th century, his imaginative eye saw all forms with the eyes of childhood and created a world that was half reassuring and half frightening, whilst adding a delightfully humorous flourish to many of his illustrations, although he can descend into darker depths as seen for Wagner and Edgar Allan Poe.
References: Riall, A New Bibliography of Arthur Rackham, 114. House, Dictionary of British Book Illustrators and Caricaturists 424. Bleiler, Checklist of Fantastic Literature 126. Book Collector No.271, 'The Great Illustrators'.
Quarto (book size 27.7x22.3cm), pp. [6] 126 [2]. In publisher’s light green cloth, intricately illustrated and lettered in gilt to spine and upper board, green card endpapers, all edges trimmed. Condition: Near fine, very light spotting to first and last page, minor toning to gilt and cloth on spine. Ref: 112215 Price: HK$ 9,000