Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens by Barrie, First Edition (19 results)

A Most Significant Copy of Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens Inscribed by J.M. Barrie to "Tootles" RACKHAM, Arthur, illustrator. BARRIE, J.M. Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens. London: Hodder & Stoughton, 1906. First edition, first impression. A remarkable presentation copy inscribed in ink on the half-title "To Joan Burnett / from her friend / J.M. Barrie / Christmas 1906" On the verso of the half-title is another ink inscription "To dear Renée Deschamps / In loving memory of her Cousin / "Joan" / a gift from her / mother / Auntie Amy Donds / With much love to dear René / September 27 1922 / 7 New Steine Brighton / England" Quarto (9 7/8 x 7 3/8 inches; 251 x 187 mm.). xii, 125, [126] pp. Tipped-in color frontispiece and forty-nine tipped-in color plates all mounted on heavy stock dark gray paper, each with a lettered tissue-guard. On the half-title (on the top left above the inscription) is a booksellers neat pencil note "17184 / GIKRT / $150" Publisher's russet cloth, front cover pictorially decorated in gilt, spine decoratively lettered in gilt. Heavy stock dark gray paper end-papers with map of Kensington Gardens. Small (7/8 inch) split at head of spine, very minor rubbing to extremities, otherwise a near fine copy. Chemised in a ca. 1930s quarter red morocco over red cloth slipcase, spine with five raised bands, lettered in gilt in compartments. Spine of slipcase a little faded. This is an astonishing presentation copy of the first edition of "Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens," inscribed by author J.M. Barrie to one of the 'lost Boys' in the original 1904 stage production at the Duke of York's Theatre in London. "Peter Pan; or the Boy Who Wouldn't Grow Up or Peter and Wendy, often known simply as Peter Pan, is a work by J.M. Barrie, in the form of a 1904 play and a 1911 novel. Both versions tell the story of Peter Pan, a mischievous yet innocent little boy who can fly, and has many adventures on the island of Neverland that is inhabited by mermaids, fairies, Native Americana, and pirates. The Peter Pan stories also involve the characters Wendy Darling, and her two brothers, Peter's fairy Tinker Bell, the Lost Boys, and the pirate Captain Hook. The Play debuted at the Duke of York's Theatre in London on 27 December 1904 with Nina Boucicault, daughter of the playwright Dion Boucicault, in the title role. [and Miss Joan Burnett as Tootles]. The Lost Boys are characters from J.M. Barrie's 1904 play Peter Pan, or The Boy Who Wouldn't Grow Up. They are boys "who fall out of their prams when the nurse is looking the other way and if they are not claimed in seven days, they are sent far away to the Neverland," where Peter Pan is their captain. There are no "lost girls" because, as Peter explains, girls are far too clever to fall out of their prams. Tootles is described as the most unfortunate and humblest of the band, because "the big things" and adventures happen while "he has stepped round the corner." This however has not soured but sweetened his nature. He is the one who shoots Wendy with a bow and arrow after Tinker Bell tells them Wendy is a bird that Peter wants killed. When Tootles realizes his mistake, he asks Peter to kill him. Wendy however survives, and Tootles is spared. Tootles is the first to defend Wendy when she wants to return to London. When Peter takes possession of "The Jolly Roger," Captain Hook's pirate ship, Tootles takes Smee's place as boatswain. At the end of the novel, he returns to London with Wendy and the other lost boys and eventually grows up to become a judge." (Wikipedia - Lost Boys (Peter Pan)). Provenance: James M. Barrie, who scarcely signed books, presented this copy to Joan Burnett (ca. 1890-1922), who played Tootles in the original stage production in December 1904 at the Duke of York's Theatre in London. Joan Burnett died in her early twenties and the book was presented on September 27th, 1922 by Joan's mother "Auntie Amy Donds" to her niece Renée Deschamps (ca. 1890-1978). It would appear that sometime later the book was either handled or purchased by a bookseller and that it was purchased for $150 by Sheila Rose Bolger Becker (ca. 1930-2000) who was a great friend of Auntie Amy Donds. Sheila Rose Bolger Becker (stage name Sheila Jackson) was a TV personality who hosted the US Steel Hour with Steve Allen in the 1960s. The book then passed to her daughter Lisa Becker Edmundson (b. 1959) from whom David Brass Rare Books, Inc. purchased it in March 2021. Included is an original photo postcard (3 3/8 x 5 1/2 inches; 87 x 140 mm.) showing the 1904 cast of the play (including Joan Burnett as Tootles and Hilda Trevelyan (1877-1959) - the original 'Wendy'. The back of the postcard is inscribed (upside down) [by Auntie Amy Dolds] and reads "To Renée / From where / the spot is / The children in bed Wendy / telling them the / story". Also a very old bookseller's description and printed card - and a photographic playbill listing the original cast members. This copy possesses one of the strongest author association of any that have yet to (or will likely ever) surface in the marketplace. It snaps the head back. This deeply satisfying example of the book - illustrated by Arthur Rackham to critical acclaim - is a collector's dream. With its strong association and inscription dated at the time of publication, our copy is undoubtedly one of the most significant and desirable examples extant. Within the last fifty years, only four Barrie-inscribed copies of "Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens" have come to market. Four years ago we sold another copy of the same book with a presentation from J.M. Barrie dated January 1907 to Mary Hodgson who was the nanny of the Llewelyn boys George and Jack, and their baby brother Peter. These children were the inspiration for the character of Peter Pan. Of the three other copies, one was inscribed to his niece, Mary Barrie; the second to Godfrey Tearle, who played Captain Hook in the 1913-14 stage production, and another newly rebound cop.

Signed limited edition, number 335 of 500 copies signed by the illustrator. This was the first appearance of Peter Pan in the title of a book, and Rackham's outstanding illustrated edition is an acknowledged classic of the "Golden Age" of book illustration. The story of Peter Pan had its genesis in Barrie's 1902 novel The Little White Bird in which the central chapters tell of a child "who escaped from being a human when he was seven days old. and flew back to Kensington Gardens". Barrie developed this story into a play (first performed in 1904, but not published until 1928), this book of 1906 (the first to appear with the name of the character in the title) and, finally, the novel Peter and Wendy which was published in 1911. Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens was the most popular Christmas gift book for 1906, and was highly successful commercially. It was the second of Rackham's books to be published as both a trade and deluxe edition and, as noted by Fred Gettings, "its publication and quality was a sure sign that Rackham had arrived, and was now to remain as one of the leading illustrators in a wide field of book titles". Fred Gettings, Arthur Rackham, 1975, p. 112; Riall p. 74. Large quarto. Original white vellum, spine and front cover lettered in gilt, front cover with decoration in gilt, top edge gilt and others untrimmed, brown endpapers, later yellow ribbon ties. Housed in a custom red cloth chemise and slipcase. Front endpaper with map of Kensington Gardens and 50 colour plates mounted onto brown art paper protected by captioned tissue guards. Corners and edge of front cover slightly rubbed, minor foxing to lower right corner of front cover, some occasional internal foxing; a near-fine and bright copy.

First edition. Edition de Luxe, number 389 of 500 copies signed by Arthur Rackham. Large 4to. Full white vellum with gilt lettering and decoration. Top edge gilt and others untrimmed. An exceptional copy of this sumptuous book, in fine, bright copy. Minimal bowing to covers and silk ties lacking, else, clean, bright and stunning. Endpaper with map of Kensington Gardens and fifty colour plates mounted onto brown art paper and protected by captioned tissue guards. The plates for this version of Barrie's tale are magnificent. The first edition of Peter Pan. A contemporary review of this book published in "The World" reads "Mr Barrie has done what no one else has done since the inventor of "Alice", he has invented a new legend, a modern folk story which comprehends all the innermost secrets of the modern child, be he four or forty. Mr Rackham, for his part, has been bewitched in his cradle: he does not dream of fairies or hobgoblins, he knows them.".

First Edition. Edition de Luxe. Large quarto, bound in the original full white vellum with gilt lettering and decoration, top edge gilt, others untrimmed. Endpaper with map of Kensington Gardens, illustrated title page, and 50 colour plates mounted onto brown art paper and protected by captioned tissue guards (at rear of book), complete as issued. The Signed Limited edition, limited to 500 copies signed by the illustrator, this copy is signed by Arthur Rackham but this is an unnumbered extra copy, with the limitation statement crossed out in pen - we have never heard of another copy such as this, and it is unnoticed and unmentioned in any bibliography. Upper front corner with a tiny bump, covers slightly splayed as usual with these full vellum bindings, spine panel very slightly browned; lacking the fragile silk ties. Overall, an excellent copy in lovely, attractive condition. One of Rackham's earliest successes, and the book that launched him into the upper ranks of Edwardian Book Illustrators. Before the Peter Pan as we know him today took full form in J.M. Barrie's 1904 play, an infant Peter Pan first appeared in Barrie's book THE LITTLE WHITE BIRD (1902). After the success of the play, Hodder & Stoughton excerpted the sections from the earlier book to produce this lovely limited edition, now titled PETER PAN IN KENSINGTON GARDENS. Issued before the trade edition of this title, this illustrated limited edition is the true first. A beautiful copy of one of the scarcest and most desired Rackham limited editions.

First edition. 4to. Russet cloth with gilt lettering and decoration. This book was a gift from Arthur Rackham to his brother in law Robert Starkie. Signed on the half title "From Arthur Rackham" A very good copy indeed. Brown endpapers with map of Kensington Gardens on front free endpaper. Fifty colour plates mounted onto art paper and protected by captioned tissue guards. With the exception of the frontispiece all the plates are mounted together at the end of the text. Arthur Rackham married Edyth Starkie in July 1903. Edyth's family were less than enthusiastic about the marriage and on the day of the wedding their suspicions were almost confirmed. Edyth's father having died some years previously, it was to be her brother Robert giving her away. As they arrived at the church they spotted the bride groom disappearing in a hansom cab. "There you are Edyth. He's left you already," exclaimed Robert. In fact Arthur was dashing home to collect the forgotten wedding ring. Presumably the men overcame their differences and this copy is the first of a series of books presented by Rackham to his brother in law. Generally considered to be Rackham's most desirable work, not least as it combines with J.M. Barrie's greatest work. It is most uncommon to find signed copies of this most important of Rackham's work. In 1902 J.M. Barrie wrote the novel "the Little White Bird", the central chapters of which tell of a child named Peter Pan, ".who escaped from being a human when he was seven days old. and flew back to Kensington Gardens." This part of the story was then developed by Barrie and the first book to appear with the title of Peter Pan was this 1906 version to which Arthur Rackham provided 50 magnificent colour illustrations. A contemporary review of this book published in "The World" reads "Mr Barrie has done what no one else has done since the inventor of "Alice", he has invented a new legend, a modern folk story which comprehends all the innermost secrets of the modern child, be he four or forty. Mr Rackham, for his part, has been bewitched in his cradle: he does not dream of fairies or hobgoblins, he knows them.".

First edition. Quarto. pp xii, 126 + fifty tipped-in colour plates with captioned tissue guards. Full pictorial vellum gilt. Top edge gilt.One of 500 copies numbered and signed by the artist.Contemporary (1906) gift inscription on half-title page. Lacks silk ties, as is usually the case. Near fine.

Hardcover. Condition: Near Fine. Rackham, Arthur (illustrator). 1st Edition. (Rackham, Arthur) illustrator. PETER PAN IN KENSINGTON GARDENS by J. M. Barrie; with drawings by Arthur Rackham. London: Hodder & Stoughton, 1906. FIRST EDITION. 4to - 7-5/8" x 10-1/8". All edges tinted brown. Original russet cloth covered boards with decoration and lettering to upper cover stamped in gilt and lettering to spine stamped in gilt with just a hint of wear to the extremities for a wonderful copy of the book. Dark brown endpapers with map on FFE; small bookplate on front paste-down. 125, [1] pp. plus [50] leaves with tissue guarded color plates mounted on thick brown paper; guard sheets with descriptive letterpress. A bright clean copy of a magnificent Rackham production. The condition of the book is NEAR FINE.

Hardcover. Condition: Near Fine. Arthur Rackham (illustrator). 1st Edition. First trade edition. Quarto brick red pictorial cloth stamped in gilt. Illustrated with 50 wonderful color plates protected by captioned tissue guards and mounted on heavy dark green stock. Scattered light foxing in the text; illustrations perfect. Spine slightly dusty and a bit rubbed at the base. With the notice "This copy is for sale in Great Britain, its Colonies and Dependencies, but its sale and exhibition in France is prohibited". This copy is SIGNED BY RACKHAM on the half-title, a special addition, since the trade issue was not issued signed. This copy also with a PARTIAL DUST JACKET, comprising most of the rear and front panels, the front panel heavily chipped at the edges but with all the lettering intact, and a portion of the spine. A nice copy, uncommon signed and rare in any kind of jacket.

Hardcover. Condition: Near Fine. 1st Edition. FIRST EDITION. 4to. (10.2 x 7.7 inches). Illustrated with a colour frontis and forty nine full colour plates, all mounted onto thick art paper pages at back of book, each one with a printed tissue guard. Decorative endpapers with map of Kensington Gardens. A near fine, bright and clean copy throughout in original russet cloth binding with gilt stamped decoration and lettering to front board and spine. Very minor rubbing to hinges and a small bump to the lower front board at the outer corner, but overall a beautiful clean copy of this classic. Among the very best of Rackham's work.

Hardcover. Condition: Near Fine. Arthur Rackham (illustrator). 1st Edition. First trade edition. On the copyright page is the notice, "Copyright in the United States of America by Charles Scribner's Sons", and on the verso of the front free endpaper appears the statement, "This publication is for sale in Great Britain, its Colonies and Dependencies, but its sale and exhibition in France is prohibited". Thick small quarto brick-red pictorial cloth stamped in gilt. Illustrated with the 50 fabulous Rackham mounted color plates at the rear. Captioned tissue guards. This copy is INSCRIBED BY RACKHAM on the half-title. Light foxing to the preliminaries, as is frequently the case. Front inner hinge cracked but sound. A couple of small light spots at the lower front cover, a small spot on the rear cover and light rubbing to the outer hinges, but in all, a near-fine copy, very scarce signed. Signed by Illustrator(s).

Cloth. Condition: Very Good. Arthur Rackham (illustrator). First edition. Beautifully illustrated with colour plates from Arthur Rackham, this is a wonderful first trade edition of J. M. Barrie's iconic children's tale. The first trade edition of Arthur Rackham's illustrated edition of J. M. Barrie's classic children's tale. In the publisher's original cloth binding, and with bright tipped in full colour plates from Rackham.Featuring a colour frontispiece, and forty-nine further tipped in colour plates from Rackham to the rear of the work, each retaining their original captioned tissue guard. Collated, complete.This work was the first to feature the name of the central character, Peter Pan, in the title. The majority of the text of this work originally appeared Barrie's 1902 novel 'The Little White Bird', in chapters 13 to 18. The novel 'Peter and Wendy' was not published until 1911, with the play - first performed in 1904 - not published until 1928.A beautifully illustrated first edition of J. M Barrie's beloved tale about the boy who never grew up. In the publisher's original cloth binding. Bumping to back strip head and tail, with light rubbing to joints. Small area of fading to fore edge of front board. Internally, firmly bound. Areas of significant spotting to first and last few leaves of text. Plates clean and bright, retaining their original captioned tissue guards. Very Good. book.

Hardcover. Condition: Sehr gut. Arthur Rackham (illustrator). 1. Auflage. First Edition, trade issue. Hodder and Stoughton, London 1906. 126 pages with additional 50 full-page tipped in illustrations in colour mounted on thick paper(with tissue gards) by Arthur Rackham. This is a wonderful copy of the first trade edition of 'Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens' which was the first featuring of Peter Pan in the book title. It has the original russet cloth with gilt titles to the spine and upper board, along with a decorative gilt illustration of Peter Pan riding a goat on the front board and a map of Kensington Gardens on the front free endpaper. Critics were overwhelmed by the symbiosis of the writer J. M. Barrie with the at this time relatively unknown illustrator Arthur Rackham. For example, the Pall Mall Gazette wrote: "Not the least part of that good fortune that follows Mr. Barrie´s steps is his choice of an illustrator. Mr. Rackham seems to have dropped out of some cloud in Mr. Barrie´s fairyland, sent by a special providence to make pictures in tune to his whimsical genius." Book is very good regarding the age and has slight rubbing and wear to edges. The binding is firm and intact. One closed tear to spine top and two miniscule tears at spine bottom (see photos). Half title and title leafs with miniscule spotting, all other pages are mainly clean and bright.

FIRST RACKHAM EDITION. 4to (25 x 19 cm). Attractively bound in recent half brown morocco with gilt titles and gilt to spine, publisher's original gilt-stamped boards. Plates and captions all present, edges very lightly toned. Binding lightly aged with a few small marks. Near fine. With 50 mounted colour plates with captioned tissues bound at rear, decorative map to front. Riall p74. Latimore/Haskell p.27. Bleiler; Checklist of Fantastic Literature [126]. BMC No.1 [1984]; 'Edwardian Children's Books'. BMC No.271; 'The Great Illustrators'. Shorter New Cambridge Bibliography (Eng.Lit.) 1005.

Hard Cover. Condition: Good. Rackham, Arthur (illustrator). First Edition. 1906 at title page. Stated verso title page: "Copyright in the Unites States of America by Charles Scribner's Sons." Voluminous 8" x 10" x 2" design. Russet colored full cloth boards, bright gilt embossed cover and spine design with flourishing titles, moderate shelf wear. Cover depicts crisp stylized titles with bright gilt design of babe Peter hands-free on bucking goat. Deckled leaves generally very good, clean; some sporadic fox, especially at first few. Frontispiece mounted plate with captioned tissue guard: "There now arose a mighty sotrm and he was tossed this way and that". Dark matte green pictorial endpapers featuring Rackham's map of Peter's village. Intriguing statement verso front endpaper over green matte: "This publication is for sale in Great Britain, its Colonies and Dependencies, but its sale and exhibition in France is prohibited." Antiquarian fountain pen inscription at half-title page: "To G. M. L. Marshall, from KluLtu. Xmas 1906," or similar. Dark tinted green text block at all sides. Features fifty color plates by Arthur Rackham mounted on heavy stock dark green matte leaves with fine captioned tissue guards throughout illlustrated latter half of volume. Bind good, square; hinges intact. Dedication: "To Sylvia and Arthur Llewelyn Davies and their boys (my boys)." Scarce sharp, near very good British first edition profusely embellished by Arthur Rackham. In Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens, J.M. Barrie first created Peter Pan as an infant, living a wild and secret life with birds and fairies in the middle of London. Later Barrie let this remarkable child grow a little older and he became the boy-hero of Neverland, making his first appearance with Wendy, Captain Hook, and the Lost Boys. Barrie's novel The Little White Bird of 1902 contains the first sketches for Peter Pan. The narrator is 'a gentle, whimsical, lonely old bachelor', an author by profession, whose ambition is to have a son. He meets a penniless young couple whose own son David fulfills his desire. The narrator explains that all children in our part of London were once birds in the Kensington Gardens. And, that the reason there are bars on nursery windows and a tall fender by the fire is because very little people sometimes forget that they no longer have wings, and try to fly away through the window or up the chimney. One such child, Peter Pan, escaped from being a human when he was seven days old and flew back to the Kensington Gardens. The Peter Pan stories were Barrie's only works for children, but as their persistent popularity shows, their themes of imaginative escape continue to charm even those who long ago left Neverland. Printed by T. and A. Constable, Printers to His Majesty at the Edinburgh University Press. 126 pages of text with few vignettes prior to large plate section. Insured post. Size: 4to - over 9¾" - 12" tall.

First trade edition, first printing. Original russet cloth with gilt titles to the spine and upper board, along with a gilt illustration. With beautiful colour illustration plates by Arthur Rackham. A very good copy, the binding square and firm with some rubbing to the extremities and a mark to the lower board and spine. The contents, with a short closed tear and a small contemporary inscription to the half title and some light foxing to the prelims and infrequently throughout, along with the odd finger mark to the margins, are otherwise clean and bright throughout. All 50 plates, one at the front as the frontispiece and the other 49 grouped together at the back, are present with their captioned tissue guards and in fine condition without corner creases or marks. Peter Pan first appeared in the chapters 13 to 18 of Barrie's 1902 novel "The Little White Bird". Barrie extracted the story and following the success of his Rip Van Winkle illustrations, through The Leicester Galleries, asked Arthur Rackham to provide the illustrations. The resulting first edition of Peter Pan In Kensington Gardens became not only a highlight of golden age book illustration, but for many, their first introduction to "the boy who wouldn't grow up". Further details and images for any of the items listed are available on request. Lucius Books welcomes direct contact with our customers.

First Rackham edition, first US printing. Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens was the most popular Christmas gift book for 1906, and was highly successful commercially. The story of Peter Pan had its genesis in Barrie's 1902 novel The Little White Bird in which the central chapters tell of a child "who escaped from being a human when he was seven days old. and flew back to Kensington Gardens". Barrie developed this story into a play (first performed in 1904, but not published until 1928), this book of 1906 (the first to appear with the name of the character in the title) and, finally, the novel Peter and Wendy which was published in 1911. As noted by Fred Gettings, the "publication and quality" of Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens "was a sure sign that Rackham had arrived, and was now to remain as one of the leading illustrators in a wide field of book titles". The Pittsburgh Post noted, on 17 September 1906, that "October will see the publication by the Scribners of Barrie's. Peter Pan. Arthur Rackham has prepared the colored pictures for the book". It appears, therefore, that UK and US editions had a similar publication date. On 5 October 1906, The Times Literary Supplement reported the announcement of publication from the English publishers and a review appeared in that paper on 14 December 1906. Fred Gettings, Arthur Rackham, London, Studio Vista, 1975, p. 112; Riall p. 74; The Pittsburgh Post, 17 September 1906, p. 6; Times Literary Supplement, 5 October 1906, p. 338; Times Literary Supplement, 14 December 1906, p. 418. Quarto. Original green cloth, spine and front cover lettered in gilt, decoration on front cover in gilt, brown endpapers. Colour frontispiece and 49 coloured plates mounted on brown paper, with captioned tissue guards, black and white illustrations in the text, all by Arthur Rackham. Extremities a little rubbed and bumped, small holes to front joint, some light soiling, occasional light finger-soiling: a very good copy.

Hardcover. Condition: VG. First Edition. Rackham's second major commission and generally considered his most important book. With guarded frontis and 49 other guarded plates, mounted on brown card and bound in at rear. The book has been sympathetically and expertly rebacked with the original spine laid on. Corners are bumped, foxing to first few pages. All of the plates are in fine condition. 126.

Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. 1st Edition. First UK Trade Edition. Publishers Russet Cloth Gilt. Complete With Fifty Colour Plates With Captioned Tissue Guards (Frontispiece and Forty Nine Plates Bound at Rear). A Very Good Book. A Few Marks to Boards. Slight Rubbing and Wear to Edges. Binding Firm and Intact. Plates Fine and Uncreased. Text Generally Clean and Fresh With Just Slight Spotting. Previous Owner Blindstamp to Front Endpaper. No Inscriptions. PBFA Member. We Welcome Direct Contact With Our Customers. Contact Neil Ewart Rare Books If You Require Any Further Information or Images.

Hardcover. Condition: Very Good Minus/Good Plus. Arthur Rackham (illustrator). 1st Edition. Rackham was one of the UK's greatest ever illustrators, and herein is some of his finest work, with 50 exquisite full colour plates in excellent condition tipped in on thick brown papers with individually captioned protective tissue papers; all of the plates are present, including the frontispiece, but two of the plates have come loose, though these can be easily pasted back on; also map on thick brown paper of Peter Pan's Kensington Gardens, and title page illustration of the infant Peter riding a goat. Although the plates are listed as facing various pages, they are all grouped together at the rear of the book following the text, as in other copies of this book we have seen. The book is quarter bound with dark blue cloth boards and light blue cloth corners and spine, gilt titles on spine, light wear only to boards, very mild rubbing to corners, rich blue/grey end papers are clean, toning to edges, water stain on thick page with map, heavy foxing to half-title page, which has Xmas 1906 inscription crossed out, less heavy foxing to title page an following few pages, sporadic foxing thereafter, though nothing that interferes with the text, binding is firm Grading commensurate with age of book. Dispatched from the UK same or next working day. NB: Due to Brexit, parcels sent to the EU may incur additional customs charges.