Rip Van Winkle.
Irving, Washington

Quarto. viii, 58pp., + 51ff. plates One of 250 copies signed by the artist. One of Arthur Rackham's scarcest and most lavishly illustrated books. Contains a frontispiece and fifty color plates tipped onto heavy brown paper, one of them spread over two pages, as well as black & white pictorial title and tailpiece. Rackham is at his best here, populating the Catskill mountains with all manner of weird and wonderful beings. Bound in vellum stamped in gilt with a picture of Rackham's Rip, his beard wildly twisted among brambles. Detached ribbon ties laid in, covers slightly bowed, some foxing to endpapers and faintest foxing to some of the tissue guards, else fine. Housed in a custom-made chemise and a box backed in gilt-stamped green morocco, which shows some wear. T.e.g.

A Wonder Book.
Hawthorne, Nathaniel

Quarto. viii, 207pp. One of 600 copies signed by Arthur Rackham. With twenty-four color plates, sixteen of which are tipped-in with titled tissue guards, and twenty line drawings. A beautifully illustrated collection of six Greek myths re-told for an audience of children. Some soiling to boards, spine lightly sunned, extremities slightly bumped, with a small tear to cloth at foot of spine, mild split before and after one signature where plates were inserted, else about fine in gilt-stamped white cloth. T.e.g.

Aventures D'Alice Au Pays Des Marveilles.
Carroll, Lewis

Quarto. 168pp., plus 12ff. plates. One of 20 copies on Japon. The limited, French edition of Arthur Rackham's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. Illustrated with thirteen large tipped-in color plates and many black & white drawings, which offer Rackham's distinctive, new interpretation of scenes made famous in Tenniel's classic illustrations, such as Alice's encounter with the caterpillar, the Caucus Race, and the Mad Tea Party. Hudson describes Rackham's undertaking as "the most controversial of his career," but concludes that, "He has certainly made the greatest impression of all Tenniel's multitude of successors." Bound in gilt-stamped vellum bearing the title and a design of the Gryphon and Mock Turtle on the front cover. Slightest soiling to covers and toning to spine, else a fine copy. In a tan cloth slipcase. T.e.g.

Jack and the Beanstalk.

(6)pp. A colorful chromolithographed panorama telling the story of Jack and the Beanstalk. The illustrations are embossed and the pages are delicately die-cut around the figures. When unfolded, the panorama measures four-and-a-half inches in height by eighteen inches in length. Designed in England and printed in Germany, and with the "Artistic Series" trademark. Two of the hinges have been repaired with tape, one of the delicate leaves of the beanstalk has a slight tear where it joins to the stalk, else about fine.

Our School Treat.

(6)pp. A colorful chromolithographed panorama depicting a procession of horse carriages carrying a band a groups of children on an outing. The figures are embossed and the pages have die-cut openings around the trees in the background. When unfolded, the panorama measures three inches in height by twenty-eight inches in length. Designed in England and printed in Germany, and with the "Artistic Series" trademark. Three hinges have been repaired with tape on the back, else fine.

Scrambled Eggs Super!
Dr. Seuss

First edition. The fantastically-illustrated tale of young Peter T. Hooper's travels around the world in search of the perfect eggs for his scrambled concoction, in which he encounters all kinds of rare, strange, and unusual birds. Bound in pictorial glazed paper-covered boards. Slight rubbing to extremities, else fine and bright in the original dust wrapper, which has a few short, closed tears, a crease to the front panel, and some slight wear to the spine ends and corners.

Beauties of the New-England Primer.

48mo. 29pp. On the verso of the title page is a statement explaining that this is an updated version of the traditional New England Primer: the editor has attempted to preserve the parts that are still relevant and publish them in a format appealing to contemporary youth. Illustrated with three woodcuts, a title page vignette, and a pictorial alpbabet accompanied by rhymes. The text includes prayers and hymns, an account of the martyrdom of John Rogers by burning, and a dialogue between Christ, a youth, and the Devil. Bound in green and tan paste-paper wrappers. Apart from some contemporary stitching reinforcing the spine, the primer is in fine condition.

New England Primer, Improved; or, An Easy and Pleasant Guide to the Art of Reading. Adorned with Cuts. Also, the Assembly of Divines' Catechism.

48mo. 71pp. Illustrated throughout with five woodcuts and two pictorial alphabets: the first has the twenty-four alphabet cuts in compartments, twelve per page, each with the name of the object represented. The other alphabet has six illustrations per page, over four pages, accompanied by couplets. Also with examples of lowercase and uppercase letters, words broken down by the number of syllables, instructive stories and verses, the catechism, and more. Previous owner's inscription to title page, bottom of spine slightly chipped, else a fine copy in decorative paste-paper wrappers.

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. A Pop-Up Book.
Carroll, Lewis

Quarto. (6)ff. Illustrated by Jenny Thorne, after John Tenniel. In the moveable version of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, a cut-out Alice falls into a three-dimensional rabbit hole, pops up to disclose a shrunken version of herself, and more. A slatted Cheshire Cat transformation and moveable rose bushes that change from white to red are also included. Price sticker to front cover, Cheshire Cat transformation requires some care with the pull-tab, else about fine in pictorial boards.

Curiosities of the Tower of London.

Two volumes. 124 (4); 125, (3) pp. Second edition. Volume one with woodcut frontispiece and twelve full-page woodcuts; volume two with woodcut frontispiece and one full-page woodcut. Presents young readers with a history of London's landmark, spending considerable space on the animals that were once housed there and touching on its other uses since its construction in 1066. Thomas Boreman was the first English publisher of books for children. He believed that instruction for children should be accompanied by "diversion and entertainment." He offered his miniature publications in two volumes so as not to create a book so large that a child could not fit it in his pocket. In the original Dutch paste-paper floral boards. Small marginal tear to preliminary leaf in volume two, few margins slightly shaved, else an unusually fine, fresh set of this rare children's book. (Bondy p. 21; Gottlieb 173; Welsh 1408). (2 3/8 by 1 15/16; 61x50mm).

The Gigantick History of the Two Famous Giants, and Other Curiosities in Guildhall. Together with: Volume the Second: Which Comprises the History of Guildhall, London. With Other Curious Matters.

Two volumes. xvi, 112; 128pp. First volume is the third edition; second volume is the second edition. Volume one with woodcut frontispiece of the two giants and one other full-page woodcut; volume two with woodcut frontispiece showing the Guildhall. Describes the history of Gog and Magog, as well as the iconography of the statues and images in the Guildhall, and an account of the Lord Mayor's Show. According to Gerald Gottlieb, who cites Volume the Second only, these books are the early volumes in the Gigantick Histories series, which were published from 1740-1742. Thomas Boreman was the first English publisher of books for children. He believed that instruction for children should be accompanied by "diversion and entertainment." He offered his miniature publications in two volumes so that a child could easily fit it in his pocket. In the original Dutch floral paste-paper boards. Rear cover of the first volume has been expertly reattached; final leaf of the second volume has been lifted from inside rear cover with no loss of text. An unusually fine, fresh set of this rare children's book. (2 3/8 by 1 15/16; 61x50mm).

Robinson Crusoe.
Very, Lydia L

12mo. (16)pp. A shaped book illustrated throughout by chromolithography, with the illustrations surrounding the central text of poetry by Lydia L. Very. This title was part of the "Doll Series" of shaped books published by Prang, and were "among the first publications of L. Prang & Company." McClinton writes that these books are "some of the most interesting and fascinating items Prang published," going on to say that "today these books are valuable items for the collector of children's books." Light wrinkling to covers, else fine in shaped pictorial wrappers.

Little Red Riding Hood.
(Perrault, Charles)

16mo. (22)pp. A shaped book in the form of Little Red Riding Hood and the wolf, printed in red, black, and tan, and with hand-coloring in green on both covers. Each leaf is printed on one side, and each printed page has a half-page color illustration and decorative pictorial borders around the edges in black. This book is similar to the version published by Prang, but the ending of the story is much more sinister: Red Riding Hood is devoured by the wolf, who then falls asleep. Her father comes along too late to save her, but he slays the sleeping wolf. The Dean version is also much rarer than the Prang: only one institutional copy is recorded. Fine in stiff paper covers.

Les Cris de Paris: Amusement de Société.

A complete set of fifty playing cards, in the original box, comprised of: twenty-four hand-colored engravings of Parisian street vendors; a hand-colored card depicting a judge declaring "Peace, peace," which stops the game; twenty-four corresponding text cards with the cries of each vendor and a rhyme about each; and a "Carte Blanche." In addition, the original printed sheet with the rules of the game is included in the box with the cards. The occupations depicted on the cards include vendors of rabbit skins, vegetables, cherries, cheese, and umbrellas. Box covered with pink lacquered paper with a hand-colored illustrated paper label depicting vendors hawking their wares in the marketplace. Apart from some faint foxing to two of the illustrated cards, not affecting the images, and slight finger marks to the corners of the Judge card, the set is in remarkably fine condition. The box shows only the slightest shelf wear and a few spots of soiling to the rear panel. A rare set, seldom encountered complete: only one complete set has been recorded at auction in the last ten years. Gumuchian describes the set as "...très rare complète, dans un parfait état. De toute rareté." Cards measure 3 1/4 by 2 1/4 inches (83x57mm).

Bewick's Select Fables.
(Aesop)

xvi, 50pp. One of 375 copies. A collection of Aesop's fables with engraved illustrations of the original woodcuts by Thomas Bewick. An extremely fine copy in blue cloth with a yellow illustrated dust wraper. (2 1/4 by 2; 59x51mm).

Story for the Fourth of July.

48mo. Illustrated throughout with full-page black & white engravings and smaller vignettes. This near-miniature chapbook contains a tale about American colonization and independence, told to a young audience in order to explain the significance of the July Fourth holiday. Fine in printed buff wrappers.

(Cat-Shaped Book).
M. G.

Oblong 32mo. (8)pp. A shaped book in the form of a cat, with the covers depicting both the front and the back of the feline. The tabby cat has blue eyes and wears a blue ribbon with a bell. Illustrated with four color lithographs of the two sister cats going about their housekeeping; the story follows the two sisters, Miss Bet and Miss Sue, who are "no idle young cats." This sweet shaped book was printed in Munich. Spine has been unobtrusively reinforced, else fine in pictorial wrappers.

[Chapbook]. The Snow-Drop; A Collection of Nursery Rhymes by Authors of Original Poems.
(Anonymous)

24mo. 24pp. A chapbook illustrated throughout with a title-page vignette, a full-page frontispiece depicting two girls who have put aside their playthings in order to read with their teacher, and five additional full-page wood engravings illustrating the rhymes. These nursery rhymes provide lessons about being industrious, obedient, and kind. Part of the series of Babcock's Moral, Instructive and Amusing Toy Books. In green wrappers printed with a pictorial border to the front cover and a list of books published by Babcock on the rear cover. Some light soiling and wear to covers, a few scattered spots of foxing to interior, else fine.

[Chapbook]. Mary Richmond; A Day in the Life of a Spoiled Child.
(Anonymous)

24mo. 24pp. Illustrated with sixteen large wood engravings, including a full-page frontispiece depicting Mary Richmond's family. The story of a young girl who has been spoiled by her indulgent nurse-maid, and whose parents seek to rid her of her tantrums, ill temper, and bad behavior. In blue wrappers printed with a pictorial border and an engraved vignette at the center of the front cover. On the rear cover is a list of books by the publisher. Light scattered foxing to contents, else fine.

Poetic Gift: Containing Barbauld's Hymns in Verse.
Barbauld, (Anna Laetitia)

24mo. 24pp. Illustrated throughout with engraved vignettes and a full-page frontispiece of a mother reading with her two children. Mrs. Barbauld's famous prose hymns have been reinterpreted in verse form by Mary Belson. Part of Babcock's "Moral, Instructive and Amusing Toy Books" series. Some light, scattered foxing, contemporary owner's inscription inside front cover, else fine in pictorial green wrappers printed with a list of recent books by the publisher on the rear cover.

[Chapbook]. Barbauld's Hymns, in Prose, for Children; Calculated to Impress the Infant Mind with Early Devotion.
Barbauld, Mrs. (Anna Laetitia)

24mo. 36pp. A chapbook illustrated with thirteen wood engravings, including a full-page frontispiece of a mother reading with two children and a title-page vignette. A collection of Mrs. Barbauld's hymns interpreted in prose form. Barbauld was a poet and the author of several children's books. She ran a boarding school with her husband, a minister, for several years and drew on this experience in creating educational and devotional works for children. Some slight chipping to paper covering the spine and some light foxing to contents, else fine in tan pictorial paper-covered boards. On the rear cover is a list of "Juvenile Books, embellished with elegant engravings" by the publisher.

[Chapbook]. Select and Amusing Anecdotes of Animals.
(Anonymous)

24mo. 24pp. Illustrated with eight full-page wood engravings of animals, including lions, a tiger, and a bear, as well as a title-page vignette of a horse. Each illustration is accompanied by tales of encounters with these animals and sensational stories. Bound in illustrated yellow wrappers with a vignette of an elephant inside a border depicting scenes of children at play, and a list of books by the publisher on the rear cover. Some faint foxing to contents, else very fine.

[Chapbook]. The Sun-Flower; or Poetical Blossoms.
(Elliott, Mary)

32mo. 16pp. A chapbook containing a collection of moral poems for children attributed to Mary Elliott. Illustrated with seven full-page woodcuts adjacent to the poems and a title-page vignette of a boy gardening. Bound in illustrated yellow wrappers with a vignette of girls tending to flowers on the front cover and a verse describing the chapbook's intent below: "Like as the Sun-Flower spreads its leaves / To meet the Sun's bright rays, / The youthful mind with warmth receives/ The moral Truth conveys." The rear cover bears an advertisement for "Babcock's Moral, Instructive, and Entertaining Toy Books." Some light spotting to wrappers, else fine.

[Chapbook]. The Little Sisters; or Emma and Caroline.
(Anonymous)

64mo. 16pp. A near-miniature chapbook illustrated with nine woodcuts, including a frontispiece of Emma, the older sister, giving her baby sister a flower, and a title-page vignette of girls jumping rope. A tale about learning to share, and to be patient and kind to one's younger siblings. On the final page is a poem about respecting the Sabbath day. Bound in printed buff wrappers with an advertisement for Babcock on the rear cover. Some light soiling to the wrappers, faint spotting to margins of pages, and a short closed tear to page fifteen, else about fine.

Harlequin and Mother Goose: Or The Golden Egg.

1ff. Framed engraved writing sheet with a mirror over the blank area in the center usually reserved for examples of penmanship. The mirror is near-contemporary to the writing sheet, and together they create an attractive piece that perhaps could have served as decoration in a child's room. The ten hand-colored illustrations bordering the mirror depict the pantomime of Harlequin and Mother Goose or, the Golden Egg, featuring the characters of the Harlequinade. This popular and very successful comic pantomime by Thomas John Dibdin debuted in London in December, 1806, with famed comic actor Joseph Grimaldi in the role of the clown. The writing sheet is entirely intact and unmarked: the silvering of the mirror was painted onto the inside of the frame glass and is not adhered to the paper. The date printed at the bottom of the sheet is March 25, 1807, and the print is numbered 88 in the lower left corner. These ornamented writing sheets also known as writing blanks, "school pieces," or "Christmas pieces," were used to encourage good penmanship in children. The blank space was filled in with a sampler of a child's best penmanship, and the completed page was often given as a gift from children to their parents. Laurie & Whittle were best known as London publishers of maps and atlases, but the firm also published prints and some juvenile items. Slight toning to the paper, else fine. This writing sheet is a remarkable survival and an unusual, creative presentation of a piece of juvenile ephemera. In a black and gold frame, which shows some rubbing to the corners. Writing sheet measures 16 by 14 inches, in a 20 by 18-inch frame.

Six Drawings by E. H. Shepard Illustrating Poems from When We Were Very Young.
Milne, A. A.

Folio. (6)ff. Copy number one of twenty copies signed and numbered by the author, A. A. Milne, and the illustrator, E. H. Shepard, in pencil. When We Were Very Young was Milne's first collaboration with Shepard, and the first of the four Christopher Robin books. Each of Milne's poems is printed in calligraphic script and surrounded by a border of several vignettes by Shepard. The six poems selected are "Teddy Bear," featuring the first appearance of Milne's most famous character, Winnie-the-Pooh, "Happiness," "Hoppity," "Vespers," "Lines and Squares," and "The Kings Breakfast." The broadsides are printed on Japan paper, mounted on mat board, and protected with tissue guards. On the reverse of each is a small label bearing the title and publisher's information. The poems are elegantly presented and intended for framing, and as a result, it is likely that many of these sets were broken up. The mounted broadsides range in size from 12 3/4 by 9 3/4 inches to 20 by 15 3/4 inches. Loose in a gray portfolio. Title labels for the set are mounted to the inside flap and inside back panel of the portfolio, and a slip with additional labels for each of the drawings, intended to be adhered to the back board of a picture frame, is also tipped in on the inside back panel. Short, closed tear to margin of one mat, not affecting the broadside, boards soiled, else a fine set of these rare broadsides.

Our Story Book.

Quarto. (12)ff. One of 300 copies, written, designed, and printed by pupils of P. S. 45 in The Bronx. With illustrations printed in a variety of colors throughout. Fine in illustrated brown wrappers, with only one small tear at bottom edge of front wrapper.

Der moralische und belehrende Bildermann. Sibi et Amicis. Nachdrucke aus den Beständen der Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin, Band 2.
Anonymous

32mo. 120pp. Facsimile of the original, printed in Meissen in 1824 and in the collection of the State Library of Berlin. Illustrated throughout in color. Text in Fraktur. Includes a booklet with essays about the text by Gabriele Spitzer and Carola Pohlmann. Fine in blue wrappers, with a blue paper slipcase.

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.
Carroll, Lewis

Quarto. 240pp. Illustrated with eight color plates by Gertrude A. Kay and the original black & white illustrations by John Tenniel. Bound in gilt-stamped maroon cloth, with color illustration pasted to front cover, and pictorial endpapers. A good copy, with some edgewear, a tanned spine, and a cracked front hinge.

Flora's Feast: A Masque of Flowers.
Crane, Walter

Quarto. 42pp., frenchfold, + 8pp. of ads. First edition. Illustrated by Walter Crane with forty full-page color lithographs that depict flowers personified. The illustrations incorporate Crane's verse, which follows the flowers in a festive parade through the seasons, from the first snowdrops and crocuses of spring to late summer sunflowers and the Christmas rose. Bound in cloth-backed pictorial boards and endpapers designed by Crane. First fold has been opened and binding shows some edgewear and light soiling, otherwise a fine copy.

La storia dello Zio Tonto/La storia del Barba Zhucon.
Zanzotto, Andrea

Octavo. (25), (23)pp. Two children's stories in Italian presented in a tête-bêche binding. Both stories contain the same color illustrations, with the exception of an extra two illustrated pages in La storia dello Zio Taonto. Fine in illustrated wrappers.

A Masque of Days: From the Last Essays of Elia.
Elia

Quarto. (44)pp., frenchfold. First edition. A fine frolic of a banquet, the guests being costumed as the Days of the Year. With twenty-one double-page, full color lithographed illustrations by Walter Crane, and with text written out by the illustrator in black and red. Bound in cloth-backed pictorial boards and endpapers designed by Crane. Extremities lightly rubbed, scattered foxing to fore-edge, and three small areas of adhevsive staining and paper loss to rear endpapers. Lacking hard-to-find dust jacket, otherwise a very good copy.

The Luck of the Bean-Rows.
Nodier, Charles

Small quarto. English translation of the French original. Printed at the Curwen press, and illustrated in color throughout. Bound in cloth-backed decorated paper-covered boards. Very good, with wear to edges, bumped corners, off-setting to endpapers, and a tanned spine.

The Vacation; or, the Four Cousins.
Anonymous

16mo. 16pp. Illustrated with six full page engravings and title page vignette. The story of George and Mary Somers's trip to the country to see their cousins, an adventure that included a carriage ride through a forest fire, and their visit to the grave of their dead baby sister. A few scattered spots, else an uncommonly fine, sharp copy in printed blue wrappers.

Hanselima.
Haas, Erna

Square 16mo. (45)ff., printed on rectos only. First issue. A striking picture book in the Swiss dialect, illustrated with forty-two brightly colored full-page woodcuts by Erna Haas in the style of the Wiener Werkstätte. The scenes depicted in the woodcuts are charming and folkloric, showing domestic tasks and children at play. Each page is surrounded by a delicate decorative border. The text is comprised of thirteen nursery rhymes, which are fully integrated into the illustrations. This was Haas's only book; little is known about the illustrator. Printed by the Graphic Arts Institute Säuberlin & Pfeiffer. Endpapers decorated in blue with figures from the woodcuts. Bound in tan patterned paper boards with a pictorial label. Some light marginal spotting to a few pages, not affecting illustrations, else a fine copy.

Waratah Rhymes for Young Australia.
Meredith, Louisa A.

Small quarto. 64pp. First edition. With photo-etched illustrations in black white throughout by Mrs. E. M. Boyd, Mr. R. André, and by the poet, Louisa A. Meredith. Although born in Birmingham, England, Meredith moved to New South Wales, and then Tasmania, after marriage. Noticing that there weren't any books available for children on Australian subjects, she set out to create a collection of simple rhymes for Australian children on local themes. Many of her poems celebrate Australia's flora and fauna: the waratah of the title is a flowering shrub that is the floral emblem of New South Wales, and other rhymes feature gum trees and bower birds. The rhymes first appeared in Meredith's collection of poems, Grandmamma's Verse-book for Young Australia. Bound in pictorial boards printed in red and green, with the title and a design of waratah flowers on the front board. Spine ends bumped, some rubbing to extremities, traces remain of erased previous owner's inscription to preliminary page, else about fine.

Checkerboard.

Folding tapa-covered boards containing a hand-cut checkerboard with two small manila envelopes pasted on opposite sides. The envelopes contain thirteen red and yellow plastic disks, and one of these envelopes is printed with the stamp of the Hawaii Chapter of the American Junior Red Cross. Small label with the logo for Punahou Service is affixed to the lower left side. In June, 1941, Punahou School -- the largest independent college preparatory school in the United States and alma mater of President Barack Obama -- celebrated its Centennial. By the end of that year, the school grounds were occupied by the Army Corps of Engineers immediately following the attack on Pearl Harbor. Once conditions stabilized on the island, the school continued to operate from the University of Hawaii's Teacher's College, but many regular programs had to be cut. To aid in the war effort, the acting Dean of Girls re-structured Punahou Service, an extant arts and crafts program, and enlisted the students to produce handmade items for soldiers. In her book, Punahou: The War Years, Charlotte Peabody Dodge notes that of the items produced by the girls in Punahou Service, "(t)he most popular ... was a cigar box 'pastime kit' containing a crossword puzzle, a file case, pad and pencil, a folder, a deck of cards, and small cribbage and checker boards." Although the rest of the kit is not present, this is a rare survival of a game produced by children for the use of soldiers during wartime, and is in very fine condition.

3 Pañuelos. Caperucita; Blanca Nieves; la Bella Durmiente.
Gracian, Alberto (trans)

Quarto. (8)pp, including wrappers. Presumed first printing of this edition. Text, in Spanish, of Little Red Riding Hood, Snow White, and Sleeping Beauty, translated in verse by Alberto Gracian. Each story is illustrated with a color handkerchief, which is pasted onto an uncolored version of the same illustration. The cover text indicates that there are "tres dibujos para iluminar," and there is text below each illustration inviting young readers to color the image using the handkerchief as a guide. All handkerchiefs are present, and the illustrations beneath them remain uncolored. Some toning to upper cover from the printed border on the verso, else a fine copy of an unusual treatment.

Contes des Fées.
Perrault, Charles

Oblong 12mo. (258)pp. Frontispiece, title page vignette, and twelve stipple-colored plates engraved by J. E. Noël after paintings by Sébastien Leroy. Contains ten fairy tales in prose by Perrault, including "Le Petit Chaperon Rouge," "La Belle au Bois Dormant," "Le Chat Botée," and "Cendrillon." This is followed by several fables in verse, which the publisher notes in a brief Preface "été encore long-temps oubliés." These consist of "Griselidis," "Peau d'ane," and "Les Souhaits Ridicules." Quite rare: there is only one other recorded institutional copy of this edition. Occasional spotting to a few leaves, else a fine copy in what appears to be the publisher's binding of gilt-decorated pink paper boards. A.e.g.

The Story of Ferdinand.
Leaf, Munro

Octavo. (71)pp. First edition, signed by the author on the title page. With full-page black & white drawings by Robert Lawson on each recto page illustrating text on the opposite page. The story of Ferdinand the bull, who would rather sit under his favorite cork tree and smell flowers than battle a matador in the bull fighting ring, was an immensely popular children's book in the 1930s, inspiring a hit song, seven subsequent editions, and even a balloon in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, all within just over one year of its initial publication. Shortly thereafter, the book was made into a popular Disney movie, the first original story that Disney ever purchased to use as the basis for a film, according to Barbara Bader, author of American Picturebooks from Noah's Ark to The Beast Within.Because the peaceful demeanor of its main character, The Story of Ferdinand inspired considerable controversy when it first appeared. Published in the same year as the onset of the Spanish Civil War, the book was banned in Spain when conservative supporters of Generalissimo Franco denounced the story as leftist propaganda promoting a pacifist ideology. Hitler also condemned the book as propaganda, and it was banned in Nazi Germany, although in Soviet-occupied Poland, it was promoted. Leaf himself responded angrily to the controversy surrounding his book, reports Bader, stating that the gentle Ferdinand was "'just a superior soul, a philosopher, [whose] refusal to fight in the bull ring at Madrid when there was a lovely bouquet to smell was a proof of good taste, and strength of character as well." Despite the political turmoil it caused, Ferdinand remained a hit. Its simple message made a strong impression on young readers, as did Robert Lawson's evocative, stylized drawings, which skillfully use distance and perspective to support the emotional tone of the text. Lawson's career got a tremendous boost as a result of Ferdinand, and he would go on to write and illustrate successful children's books of his own.The Story of Ferdinand remains a popular picture book to this day, a classic of children's literature. Unsophisticated first editions have become scarce, as the book is prone to rough treatment at the hands of young readers, as well as sun damage to the bright red dust jacket. The jacket on this copy retains its brightness, with virtually none of the usual fading to which it is prone. The book is bound in quarter cloth and decorated paper boards and has illustrated yellow endleaves. A few tiny nicks along jacket extremities, else a very fine copy.

Kai og Anne i den Store By [Kai and Anne in the Big City].
Gelsted, Otto

Folio. (18)pp. First edition. Illustrated with pencil drawings in black and white by Karen Lis-Jacobsen, which accompany rhymes by the Danish poet Otto Gelsted about Kai and Anne's adventures in the city, and eight full-page plates in bold colors on the facing pages. The color illustrations, from cut-paper collages, use simplified shapes to create characters and scenery and are reminiscent of constructivist art. Traveling on their own, the two children visit a factory and admire the giant gears and wheels, take an airplane ride, and go to the circus, among other activities. Bound in cloth-backed boards with a pictorial design on the front cover. Slightest sunning to top margin of front cover, fore-edge lightly bumped, else fine.

A Journey to the Garden Gate.
Townsend, Ralph M.

Frontispiece glassine lacking; else a nice copy.

Keeper's Travels in Search of His Master.
(Kendall, Edward Augustus)

A nice copy with some wear to the covers.

Vignettes of Writers and Artists.
Cressler, Alfred M.

A fine copy.

Bible Stories and Pictures from the Old and New Testaments.
Anonymous

16mo. 16pp. Illustrated with title page vignette of the Crucifixion and seven wood engravings. A collection of seven stories from the Old and New Testaments, retold for children: Moses Viewing Canaan; Samson Carrying Away the Gates of Gaza; David and Goliath; John Baptizing Christ; Water Changed to Wine; Christ Blessing Children; and Conversion of Saint Paul. Each story contains one preliminary illustration. Very faint foxing in spots, else nearly fine.

Creating Miniature Knights.
Peter Greenhill

Tall quarto. As new, with dust jacket.

Book of Puppets: Stage, Scenery, Puppets and Plays.
Munger, Martha Perrine

Octavo. Bound in red cloth. Address label to front free endpaper, top edge shows some toning, spine ends bumped, else a good copy in a blue printed dust jacket with some chipping and a large tear to the rear panel partially affecting the text of an advertisement. Three pages have a slight rust at the top where a paperclip had been. Text and illustrations are clean.

Shadow.
Cendrars, Blaise

Quarto. First edition. This is Marcia Brown's third Caldecott-winning book, personally inscribed by the author. Brown translated Blaise Cendrars' poem "La Féticheuse" from the French, and illustrated it with vibrant full-page collages inspired by her travels in Africa. The spirit of Shadow derives from the beliefs and ghosts of the past, and is brought to life by light, fire, and the words of a storyteller. Together with a poster of one of the illustrations in the book, a twilight scene in which a group of shadow figures walks along a path, which is also inscribed. Some light spotting preliminary pages, not affecting the illustrations, slight split between first and second signatures, edges of dust wrapper slightly bumped, spine ends lightly sunned, else a fine copy.

Illustrations of Natural History.
Hall, George Cressy

24mo. (11)ff. A handmade textbook of animals from around the world, written and illustrated by George Cressy Hall, H.S.B. The book opens with a hand-lettered title page, and each page has a beautifully rendered pen and ink illustration of an animal with concise, informative text describing the creature below. The text is entirely written by hand, in a fine copperplate script. Included are the roebuck, llama, hyena, zebra, eagle, emu, heron, carp, rattlesnake, and a butterfly. The drawings appear to have been carefully copied from the illustrations in books on natural history of the period; several are nearly identical to those found in The Tower Menagerie, a popular account of the exotic creatures in the royal zoo of the Tower of London, published by Robert Jennings in 1829. The last page bears a small vignette of an old man walking into the sunset, with the word "Finis." A late nineteenth century inscription inside the front cover reads, "This book of Pen and Ink Drawings was done by my first cousin George Cressy Hall, whilst an undergraduate at Edinburgh in 1841.2 -- Edwd. Marshall Hall." The inscription was likely written by the celebrated English barrister Edward Marshall Hall, who was known as "The Great Defender." Little is known about the artist, and this is the only known example of his work. Spine sunned, corners and extremities rubbed, some foxing to endpapers, spot to margin of a few pages, not affecting the illustrations or text, else about fine in half calf over marbled paper boards.

Original watercolor diptych from A Masque of Days.
Lamb, Charles

Two watercolor illustrations on paper, each measuring 7 5/8 by 11 inches (194 x 275 mm), and each signed with Crane's monogram in the lower left corner. This is the original artwork for the spread on pages five and six of A Masque of Days, and it shows twelve winged foot-pages carrying invitation cards. The text above, in Crane's calligraphic script, informs the reader that "cards of invitation had been issued" to commemorate the passage of the year, and "(t)he carriers were THE HOURS" who "went all round and found out the persons invited well enough, with the exceptions of Easter Day, Shrove Tuesday, and a few such Moveable who had lately shifted their quarters." A fine example of a mature work by Crane, together with a copy of the published book.