Description
⁂ Please note, the description of this lot has changed ***
Potter (Beatrix) The Tale of Peter Rabbit, first edition, fourth printing with "shed big tears" on p.51, deluxe issue in rare trial binding, colour frontispiece, plain title vignette and 31 colour plates, some pulling, occasional very light marking to margins, cream glazed endpapers, original black morocco, lettered in gilt, sympathetically rebacked, light rubbing to extremities, in effect an excellent copy, g.e., [not in Linder or Quinby], 16mo, [c.1903].
⁂ A scarce variant trial binding, likely one of only a handful of copies.
In 1902 Warne brought out a deluxe edition of Peter Rabbit in green or yellow cloth. The sales were poor however and the decision was made to alter the binding in order to boost interest. Judging by the coincidence of date for this and the copy of The Tailor of Gloucester (see lot 12), it appears that these were trials that were rejected in favour of the art fabric and then moiré cloth editions. The lettering on both titles is different to that appearing on the trade editions and seems to have been another rejected experiment. There is an additional colour plate printed before the frontispiece which replicates the design that appears on the upper cover of the first trade edition (the plate is also repeated later on in the volume).
Lot 7
Potter (Beatrix) The Tale of Peter Rabbit, first edition, deluxe issue in rare trial binding, [c.1903].
Hammer Price: £1,600
Description
⁂ Please note, the description of this lot has changed ***
Potter (Beatrix) The Tale of Peter Rabbit, first edition, fourth printing with "shed big tears" on p.51, deluxe issue in rare trial binding, colour frontispiece, plain title vignette and 31 colour plates, some pulling, occasional very light marking to margins, cream glazed endpapers, original black morocco, lettered in gilt, sympathetically rebacked, light rubbing to extremities, in effect an excellent copy, g.e., [not in Linder or Quinby], 16mo, [c.1903].
⁂ A scarce variant trial binding, likely one of only a handful of copies.
In 1902 Warne brought out a deluxe edition of Peter Rabbit in green or yellow cloth. The sales were poor however and the decision was made to alter the binding in order to boost interest. Judging by the coincidence of date for this and the copy of The Tailor of Gloucester (see lot 12), it appears that these were trials that were rejected in favour of the art fabric and then moiré cloth editions. The lettering on both titles is different to that appearing on the trade editions and seems to have been another rejected experiment. There is an additional colour plate printed before the frontispiece which replicates the design that appears on the upper cover of the first trade edition (the plate is also repeated later on in the volume).