Carle (Eric) The Very Hungry Caterpillar, first edition, first printing with complete number line 1-5 on copyright p. and "A3450" to rear board, colour illustrations by the author, ink ownership inscription to title, with additional reprint title page signed by the author with a drawing of a Caterpillar loosely inserted, original pictorial boards, light rubbing to spine tips, very faint toning to head, else fine, dust-jacket with "A3450" code to lower panel and 2 paragraphs to front flap, front flap price-clipped at head and foot, spine tips and corners a little rubbed, light creasing to head and foot, but near-fine generally, oblong 4to, Cleveland, World Publishing, 1969.

⁂ A superb example of this famous children's rarity. Though reprinted thousands of times and ultimately selling tens of millions of copies, first editions of The Very Hungry Caterpillar are rare in the dust-jacket in good condition. All but one known copy in the dust-jacket are price-clipped and this was likely undertaken by the publisher's themselves prior to release.