Quintessentially English, the immediately recognizable work of Beatrix Potter has delighted children for more than a century. Her own childhood was spent reading Grimms' Fairy Tales, Br'er Rabbit and Aesop's fables, influences that are very clear in her work. Her stories all revolve around animals, with human characteristics, involved in situations that are true to life and occasionally cruel.
Inspired by her own love of nature and her rural surroundings, Potter's books started life as letters sent to her friends and family. In publishing her tales, none of her fondness for the animals and countryside is lost; nor is the personal warmth she put into each story. It is almost as if she is reading the stories to you herself and you are the first person to hear them.
Potter's distinctive illustrations which punctuate each story are as famous as the books themselves; JemimaPuddleduck's bonnet and shawl, Peter Rabbit in his blue jacket and Jeremy Fisher punting along the pond on his lily-pad boat. In combining these memorable illustrations with a writing style that was clear and uncluttered, Potter allowed her young readers to simply enjoy the story.
Unlike many children's authors of the last century, Potter's appeal has remained strong and at auction her first editions invariably prove popular. Published by Warne and Co., her earliest stores fetch up to $1,500; although some titles such as, The Tailor of Gloucester, have reached $4,000 in the past.
A brand new and unseen Potter tale, Kitty in Boots, will soon be published. The release of this work will no doubt reawaken interest in her work, bringing back fans who are reminded of the simple charm of the original books.
Potter, Beatrix. CHANGING PICTURES. Ernest Nister, London (1893). A BOOK OF TRANSFORMATION PICTURES; coloured illustration by Beatrix Potter and 2 other colour illustrations each featuring a child and a dog; 6 full page chromolithograph movable pictures with 4 horizontal slats
Potter, Beatrix. The Tale of Peter Rabbit.. Privately printed (1901). Coloured frontispiece and 41 text illustrations after pen and ink drawings; 250 copies
POTTER,BEATRIX. TALE OF PETER RABBIT. (1902). white dot in theo's on the cover, leaf patterned endpapers, the wordwept on p. 51 and all other points of first printing per Quinby 2; The text and illustrations were engraved and printed by Edmund Evans and first edition contains four color plates that do not appear after the fourth impression.
Potter, Beatrix. The Tailor of Gloucester. London (1902). 500 copies; With a color frontispiece and fifteen color plates
Potter, Beatrix. The Tale of Peter Rabbit. Strangeways, London (1902). initial print 250 copies privately printed in December 1901; Colour frontispiece, 41 line drawings with a line of text on the page opposite for each one; second privately published 200 copies
Potter, Beatrix. The Tale of Peter Rabbit. Frederick Warne and Co, London and New York (1902). 31 colour plates illustrated throughout by Beatrix Potter; first issue withwept big tears on p. 51; 500 copies printed.
Potter, Beatrix. Tailor of Gloucester. Frederick Ware and Co, London (1903). Color frontispiece and twenty-six color plates; Seventeen illustrations are entirely new for this edition; eleven of the illustrations are repeated from the December 1902 privately printed edition
Potter, Beatrix. Tale of Squirrel Nutkin. Frederick Warne and Co, New York (1903).
Potter, Beatrix. The Tailor of Gloucester. Frederick Warne, London and New York (1903). Half title, coloured frontispiece and 26 plates by Beatrix; 500 copies printed.
Potter, Beatrix. The Tale of Squirrel Nutkin. Frederick Warne and Co, London (1903). Frontispiece and 26 illustrations in colour by the Potter
Potter, Beatrix. Tale of Peter Rabbit. Philadelphia Henry Altemus Company (1904). Altemus' Wee Books for Wee Folks; Thirty-one Illustrations.
Potter, Beatrix. Tale of Peter Rabbit. Frederick Warne and Co., London and New York (1904). Color illustrated end-papers, color frontispiece and twenty-six color illustrations; 250 copies in first edition.
Potter, Beatrix. Tale of Two Bad Mice. Frederick Warne and Co, New York (1904).
Potter, Beatrix. Tale of Two Bad Mice. Frederick Warne and Co, London (1904). Color frontispiece and twenty-six color plates
Potter, Beatrix. The Tale of Benjamin Bunny. Frederick Warne and Co, London (1904). Colour frontis and 26 colour plates by the author; The first 2 printings are identical and havemuffatees on page 15; This was corrected tomuffetees in later editions
Potter, Beatrix. The Tale of Peter Rabbit. Henry Altemus, Philadelphia (1904).
Potter, Beatrix. The Tale of Peter Rabbit. Frederick Warne and Co., London (1904).
Potter, Beatrix. The Tale of Two Bad Mice. Frederick Warne and Co., London (1904). Pictorial endpapers and 27 colour plates by Beatrix Potter
Potter, Beatrix. The Pie and the Patty-Pan. Frederick Warne, New York (1905).
Potter, Beatrix. The pie and the patty-pan. Frederick Warne, London (1905). Colour frontis, nine colour plates and black and white in-text illustrations by Beatrix Potter
Potter, Beatrix. The tale of Mrs Tiggy-Winkle. Frederick Warne and Co, London (1905).
Potter, Beatrix. The Tale of Tiggy-Winkle. Frederick Warne and Co, New York (1905). Pictorial endpapers, frontis and 26 colour plates by the author
Potter, Beatrix. The Story of a Fierce Bad Rabbit. Warne and Co (1906). There are a total of 14 colour plates
Potter, Beatrix. The Story of a Fierce Bad Rabbit. Frederick Warne and Co, London and New York (1906). Peter Rabbit New Series Number One
Potter, Beatrix. The Story of Miss Moppet. Frederick Warne and Co, London (1906). Peter Rabbit New Series Number Two
Potter, Beatrix. The Story of Miss Moppet. Frederick Warne and Co, London and New York (1906). first issue (withLondon and New York on rear cover); 10,000 copies; Each story contained fourteen pictures and fourteen pages of simple text.
Potter, Beatrix. The Tale of Jeremy Fisher. Frederick Warne and Co., London and New York (1906). Colour frontispiece and 26 full-page colour illustrations by the author
Potter, Beatrix. The Tale of Jeremy Fisher. Frederick Warne and Co, London (1906). With colour illustrations by the author
Potter, Beatrix. The Tale Of Mr. Jeremy Fisher. Frederick Warne and Co, New York (1906).
Potter, Beatrix. The Pie and the Patty-Pan. Frederick Warne and Co, New York (1907). 4,750 copies; Within the 52 pages there are 9 full page colour illustrations and 18 smaller black and white illustration
Potter, Beatrix. The Pie and the Patty-Pan. Frederick Warne, London (1907).
Potter, Beatrix. The Tale of Tom Kitten. Frederick Warne and Company, New York (1907). Pictorial endpapers and 27 colour plates
Potter, Beatrix. The Taleof Tom Kitten. Frederick Warne and Co, London (1907). colour frontispiece and 26 colour plates
Potter, Beatrix. TALE OF PETER RABBIT. (1908). Illustrated with 24 full page color illustrations (printed on one side of paper) plus one full page black and white
Potter, Beatrix. The Roly-Poly Pudding. Frederick Warne and Co, London and New York (1908). Illustrated throughout by the author; 7500 copies
Potter, Beatrix. The Roly-Poly Pudding. Frederick Warne and Co, London (1908). 17 color plates
Potter, Beatrix. The Roly-Poly Pudding. Frederick Warne, New York (1908). Illustrated by Potter, including color frontispiece and 17 plates in color
Potter, Beatrix. The Tale of Jemima Puddle-Duck. Frederick Warne and Co, London (1908). Color frontis and 26 color illustrations
Potter, Beatrix. The Tale of Jemima Puddle-Duck. Frederick Warne and Co, London and New York (1908). Colour frontispiece and 26 full-page colour illustrations
Potter, Beatrix. THE TALE OF SAMUEL WHISKERS. Frederick Warne, London (1908). Or The Roly - Poly Pudding
Potter, Beatrix. Ginger and Pickles. Frederick Warne and Co, New York (1909). with color pictorial onlay on front cover; illustrated (by the author, including color plates)
Potter, Beatrix. Ginger and Pickles. Frederick Warne and Co, London (1909). 10 colour plates, b/ w illustrations throughout
Potter, Beatrix. The Tale of The Flopsy Bunnies. F. Warne and Co (1909). Pictorial endpapers and 27 colour illustrations by the author
Potter, Beatrix. The Tale of the Flopsy Bunnies. Frederick Warne and Co, London (1909). Colour frontis and 26 colour plates illustrated by Beatrix Potter
Potter, Beatrix. The Tale of Mrs Tittlemouse. F. Warne and Co, New York (1910).
Potter, Beatrix. The Tale of Mrs. Tittlemouse. F. Warne and Co (1910). Colour frontis and 26 colour plates by the author
Potter, Beatrix. The Tale of Mrs. Tittlemouse. Frederick Warne and Co, London (1910). With colour illustrations by the author
Potter, Beatrix. Peter Rabbit's Painting Book. Frederick Warne, London (1911).
Potter, Beatrix. Peter Rabbit's Painting Book. Frederick Warne and Co, New York (1911). 12 colour illustrations facing 12 identical outline images
Potter, Beatrix. Tale of Timmy Tiptoes. Frederick Warne and Co, New York (1911). coloured pictorial endpapers and frontispiece, endpapers designed and the illustrated Onlay by Potter; 27 color plates.
Potter, Beatrix. Tale of Timmy Tiptoes. Frederick Warne and Co, London (1911). Color frontispiece and twenty-six color plates
Potter, Beatrix. Tale of Timmy Tiptoes. Frederick Warne and Co, London and New York (1911). With 27 colour plate illustrations
Potter, Beatrix. The Tale of Mr Tod. Frederick Warne and Co (1912). 14 colour illustrations and many small line drawings
Potter, Beatrix. The Tale of Mr Tod. Frederick Warne and Co, New York (1912).
Potter, Beatrix. The Tale of Mr.Tod. Frederick Warne and Co, London and New York (1912). With 27 colour plates
Potter, Beatrix. The Tale of Mr.Tod. Frederick Warne and Co, London (1912).
Potter, Beatrix. The Tale of Pigling Bland. Frederick Warne and Co, London (1913). 15 colour plates and many small monochrome illustrations by the author.
Potter, Beatrix. The Tale of Pigling Bland. Frederick Warne and Co, New York (1913). Illustrated with coloured plates and black and white illustrations in text by Beatrix Potter
Potter, Beatrix. The Story of Miss Moppet. Frederick Warne and Co, London (1916). Illustrated with fifteen beautiful colour plates.
Potter, Beatrix. Appley Dapply's Nursery Rhymes. Frederick Warne and Co, London (1917). with colour frontispiece and 14 colour plates by Potter
Potter, Beatrix. Appley Dapply's Nursery Rhymes. Warne, New York (1917).
Potter, Beatrix. Cecily Parsley's Nursery Rhymes. Warne (1922). frontispiece and 14 other colourprinted plates by the author
POTTER,BEATRIX. ROLY-POLY PUDDING. (1926). Illustrated with 18 wonderful color plates including title and 38 black and white drawing by Potter.
Potter,Beatrix. Peter Rabbit's Almanac for 1929. Frederick Warne, London (1928). Colour frontispiece, title vignette and 12 lovely colour plates
Potter,Beatrix. Peter Rabbit's Almanac for 1929. Frederick Warne and Co. Ltd (1929).
Potter, Beatrix. The Fairy Caravan. Ambleside (1929). 6 colour and numerous monochrome illustrations in the text by the author; 100 copies printed
Potter, Beatrix. The Fairy Caravan. David McKay, Philadelphia (1929). Illustrations by Potter with 6 color plates and 20 full page and 42 smaller black-and- white drawings
Potter, Beatrix. GINGER and PICKLES. (1930). Featuring 10 fine color plates pictorial endpapers plus line illustrations in-text printed by Edmund Evans
Potter, Beatrix. Peter Rabbit's Race Game. Frederick Warne and Co Ltd (1930).
Potter, Beatrix. The Tale of Little Pig Robinson. Frederick Warne and Co Limited, London (1930). Peter Rabbit Large Format Series Number Four; Six illustrations in colour and nuermous line drawings by the author
Potter, Beatrix. The Tale of Little Pig Robinson. David MacKay, Philadelphia (1930). With colored frontispiece and 5 full-page color plates; also 34 black and white illustrations plus 13 vignettes
Potter, Beatrix. Sister Anne. David McKay Company, Philadelphia (1932). 13 black and white plates by Katharine Sturges
Potter, Beatrix. TALE OF PETER RABBIT. (1943).
Potter, Beatrix. TALE OF PETER RABBIT. Grosset and Dunlap (1943). Wehr, Julian
Potter, Beatrix. WAG-BY-WALL. Warne and Co Ltd, London (1944). 100 copies printed.
Potter, Beatrix. Tale of the Faithful Dove. Frederick W arne and Co Ltd, London (1955). 100 copies printed.
Potter, Beatrix. THE TALE OF THE FAITHFUL DOVE. Frederick Warne and Co, New York (1956). 7 small woodcut illustrations in the text not by Potter; The first issue numbered some 2500 copies; The second issue 1500 copies.
Potter, Beatrix. TALE OF MRS. TITTLEMOUSE. (1979). 500 copies
Potter, Beatrix. The Tale of Mrs. Tittlemouse. Decimus Publishing, London (1979). Comprising 11 mounted facsimile illustrations by Beatrix Potter, including 8 pictures in watercolor + 3 pencil studies; Limited to 500 numbered copies
Potter, Beatrix. THE DERWENTWATER SKETCHBOOK. Frederick Warne, London (1984). with commentary by J. I. Whalley and W. K. Bartlett; 250 copies printed.
Potter, Beatrix. The Original Peter Rabbit Books. Frederick Warne and Co, Harmondsworth (1986). The World of Peter Rabbit - 1 - 23 Volumes, new Editions from the Original Watercolours.
Potter, Beatrix. ORIGINAL PETER RABBIT. F. Warne and Co, New York (1987).
Potter, Beatrix. THE TALE OF PETER RABBIT. Warne and Co, London (1993). 750 copies printed.
Potter, Beatrix. Tale of Peter Rabbit. Battledore Ltd, Kingston (1995). A Portfolio of Art Prints from the original illustration line-blocks made for the First Private Edition (1901); with an introduction by Maurice SENDAK; 275 copies printed
Potter, Beatrix. MARSEILLES, GENOA and PISA. Printed by Stinehour for the Cotsen Occasional Press, Los Angeles (1998). A Beatrix Potter Photograph Album representing a pictorial biography; 200 COPIES PRINTED; printed key, with explanatory essay, by Ivy Trent
Potter, Beatrix. Marseilles, Genoa and Pisa. Cotsen Occasional Press, Los Angeles (1998). A Beatrix Potter Photograph Album Representing a Pictorial Biography; With an introduction by Ivy Trent in a pocket on the back pastedown; 200 copies printed.
Potter, Beatrix. The Tailor of Gloucester. F. Warne and Co Limited, London (2003). Peter Rabbit First Series Number Three; 100 copies printed.
Potter, Beatrix. The Tale of Squirrel Nutkin. Frederick Warne and Co Limited, London (2003). Peter Rabbit First Series Number Two; 500 copies printed.
Potter, Beatrix. The Tale of Benjamin Bunny. Frederick Warne and Co Limited, London (2004). Peter Rabbit First Series Number Four; 500 copies printed.
Potter, Beatrix. The Tale of Two Bad Mice. Frederick Warne and Co Limited, London (2004). Peter Rabbit First Series Number Five; 100 copies printed.
Potter, Beatrix. Tale of Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle. Frederick Warne and Co Limited, London (2005). Peter Rabbit First Series Number Six; 125 copies printed.
Potter, Beatrix. The World of Peter Rabbit. Penguin Group (2006). The Complete Collection of Original Tales 1-23
Potter, Beatrix. The World of Peter Rabbit. Frederick Warne (2006).