POTTER (BEATRIX) The Tale of Peter Rabbit, PRIVATELY PUBLISHED FIRST EDITION
POTTER (BEATRIX)
The Tale of Peter Rabbit, PRIVATELY PUBLISHED FIRST EDITION, second issue, colour frontispiece, 41 illustrations, occasional light spotting, publisher's olive boards with rounded spine, light soiling and spotting [Quinby 1A; Linder 420], 16mo, [Privately Printed], February, 1902
Sold for £7,440 inc. premium

Footnotes

  • The privately-published first edition is limited to 450 copies, of which 200 are the second printing. Originally written in letter form to five year old Noel Moore, recovering from illness, in 1893 Potter drew up "Peter Rabbit" in book form. Having been rejected by various publishers "she drew her savings out of the Post Office and got in touch with a printer", had it printed at a cost of eleven pounds, and enjoyed "the pleasure of selling it in fours and fives to her friends and relations at one-and-twopence a copy" (Margaret Lane, The Tale of Beatrix Potter). The success of this private enterprise encouraged Frederick Warne to publish a trade edition in October 1902.

Category: Books / Books, Maps and Manuscripts


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