Description

Potter (Beatrix) The Tailor of Gloucester, first edition, first issue, [one of 500 copies], signed presentation inscription from the author "with kind regards to Mrs [?]Hemming, Oct 19th, 1937" to front free endpaper, colour frontispiece and 15 colour plates, light browning to free endpapers, original pick boards with lettering and pictorial design in black, spine a little faded, a few minor marks, but a remarkably sharp, near-fine example overall, [Linder 420; Quinby 3], 16mo, [Privately printed for the Author by Strangeways & Sons], December, 1902.

Beatrix Potter's favourite of her own works, scarce signed and in such excellent condition.

The Tailor of Gloucester was based upon a tale Potter heard whilst visiting her cousin Caroline Hutton in Gloucestershire in or around 1897: the tailor John Pritchard was commissioned to make a suit for the new mayor, he opened up his shop on Monday to find the suit completed except for one buttonhole and with a note attached reading "No more twist". It transpired that his assistants had finished the suit in the night, however Pritchard encouraged the story that it was the work of fairies.

Potter took time to develop the story whilst also working on Squirrel Nutkin, presenting it as a picture letter to Freda Moore in 1901. Potter had the work privately printed, in a similar format and in the same month as the second issue of Peter Rabbit (see lot XXX) as Warne were still in the process of publishing Peter Rabbit and she felt it unlikely they would publish another tale so soon.

Lot 10

Potter (Beatrix) The Tailor of Gloucester, first edition, first issue, signed presentation inscription from the author, Privately Printed, 1902.  

Hammer Price: £6,500

Description

Potter (Beatrix) The Tailor of Gloucester, first edition, first issue, [one of 500 copies], signed presentation inscription from the author "with kind regards to Mrs [?]Hemming, Oct 19th, 1937" to front free endpaper, colour frontispiece and 15 colour plates, light browning to free endpapers, original pick boards with lettering and pictorial design in black, spine a little faded, a few minor marks, but a remarkably sharp, near-fine example overall, [Linder 420; Quinby 3], 16mo, [Privately printed for the Author by Strangeways & Sons], December, 1902.

Beatrix Potter's favourite of her own works, scarce signed and in such excellent condition.

The Tailor of Gloucester was based upon a tale Potter heard whilst visiting her cousin Caroline Hutton in Gloucestershire in or around 1897: the tailor John Pritchard was commissioned to make a suit for the new mayor, he opened up his shop on Monday to find the suit completed except for one buttonhole and with a note attached reading "No more twist". It transpired that his assistants had finished the suit in the night, however Pritchard encouraged the story that it was the work of fairies.

Potter took time to develop the story whilst also working on Squirrel Nutkin, presenting it as a picture letter to Freda Moore in 1901. Potter had the work privately printed, in a similar format and in the same month as the second issue of Peter Rabbit (see lot XXX) as Warne were still in the process of publishing Peter Rabbit and she felt it unlikely they would publish another tale so soon.

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