Available Copies from Independent Booksellers
Price: US$300.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: [MUSIC]. H. FRASER-SIMSON, music. E.H. [Ernest Howard] SHEPARD, illustrator. First edition. Folio; 43pp; brown boards, cream cloth shelf-back, printed label on front with a vignette of Pooh; illustrated title page; 14 musical scores with words, small line illustrations; light foxing to title label on front, bumped rear top corner and rear upper edge; light acid burn from dust jacket flap to ffep; unclipped blue illustrated dust jacket, old archival tape repairs to verso, light soiling and a few spots; very good plus in very good minus dj. Dedication page reads, "By permission of Her Royal Highness The Duchess of York these Songs are dedicated to The Princess Elizabeth." The Duchess of York at this time was the Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, who became Queen when her husband, Prince Albert, acceded to the throne as George VI in 1936. The book was dedicated to The Princess Elizabeth, now Her Majesty the Queen, Elizabeth II, who was born in 1926. The 14 songs with musical scores have amusing titles, including: Bad Sir Brian Botany, Sand-Between-the-Toes, Rice Pudding, Daffodowndilly, and If I were King.
Seller: Sandra L. Hoekstra Bookseller, Thomaston, ME, U.S.A.
Price: US$3125.00 + shipping
Description: A two-page AUTOGRAPH LETTER SIGNED (ALS) on both sides of 5-1/2" x 7-3/8" personal stationery to "My dear Sir" [Vincent Seligman]. Written just weeks before the publication of Milne's most famous work, WINNIE-THE-POOH. This fine letter offers insight into Milne's sharp sense of humor and includes indirect references to his most famous book. Milne refers to a person in his letter as a "cygnet" (a young swan), a reference which may have been in mind as Winnie The Pooh was a blended name created by Milne, being a combination of the name "Pooh," after a cygnet swan they met on holiday, and "Winnie," a black bear cub he often saw at the London Zoo. There is also a lighthearted poke at his publisher, Methuen. In part: "I have arrived safely at the house to which you sent me, and think that I shall like the situation. I wanted to begin a serial story for the DAILY MAIL at once, but the man here said 'No, there's a letter we must write first,' and I said 'Oh, I see,' and began writing 'Dear Methuen,' but he snatched me away from the paper, and said it wasn't that sort of letter at all, which disappointed me rather because I thought I had got a literary situation. But he promised me we should do some poetry afterwards, and I said 'All right.' And of course when he began 'Dear Vincent,' I said 'Oh, know that man well; let me write the letter, while you get the ink off your hands.' He was terribly pleased with me, and I'm to keep on saying 'Thank you' until I run out of ink. But I really am to say 'Thank you very much. Assuring you, Sir, of my respects, and again thanking you for obtaining me this literary situation which I have always wanted from a cygnet so to speak. Yours faithfull [sic] The Pen. P.S. It was his fault about the ink, not mine. T.P. P.P.P. Now we are going to practise his signature: A. A. Milne. P.P.P.S. He says that's the best he's ever done." A delightful letter. Vincent Seligman was a banker who ran the London bank Seligman Brothers. He and his wife Barbara were close friends of the Milnes. Seligman dedicated his book, OXFORD ODDITIES, to Milne. Crease from mailing otherwise Fine
Seller: Charles Agvent, est. 1987, ABAA, ILAB, Fleetwood, PA, U.S.A.
Price: US$4812.25 + shipping
Description: First edition, first impression, out-of-series copy of 100 copies signed by Milne, Shepard, and Fraser-Simson on the limitation leaf, and additionally inscribed by the publishers for the composer "This is a presentation copy for H. Fraser-Simson, Esq." Harold Fraser-Simson published six volumes of his musical settings of the verse of A. A. Milne and, as noted by Thwaite, "his settings became very familiar through the wireless" (Thwaite, Brilliant Career, p. 61). When the verses for When We Were Very Young first appeared in Punch, Milne was approached by numerous composers wishing to set them to music. He chose Fraser-Simson who was his neighbour in Chelsea and the composer of the phenomenally successful musical The Maid of the Mountains. There would eventually be 67 songs and Milne noted that "the music is exactly right" (Thwaite, p. 272). When Songs from "Now We are Six" was published in 1927, Daphne Milne suggested a sound recording of three of the songs on the HMV label. "Down by the Pond", "The Engineer" and "The Friend" were sung by Christopher Milne, accompanied by the composer. "Us Two" was also recorded, but recited by Christopher without accompaniment. One of Christopher's cousins described the recording as "the unacceptable face of Poohdom" (Thwaite, p. 329), but the record does preserve Christopher Robin performing three of Fraser-Simson's settings of Milne and "giving the performance all he'd got" (Thwaite, p. 329). Ann Thwaite, The Brilliant Career of Winnie-the-Pooh, 1992; Ann Thwaite, A. A. Milne. His Life, 1990. Large octavo. Publisher's blue cloth-backed boards, front cover with paper label lettered in dark blue. Illustrations throughout by E. H. Shepard. Extremities a little worn, some occasional minor foxing, gatherings unopened: a near-fine copy.
Seller: Peter Harrington. ABA/ ILAB., London, United Kingdom
MILNE, A. A.. Winnie The Pooh. London Methuen & Co Ltd, 1926.
Price: US$5774.69 + shipping
Description: 1st Edition, 12.5 x 19.5 cm green cloth with gilt stamped vignette of Pooh and Christopher Robin to the front within a single lined border and titles to the spine. Top edge gilt, Hundred Acre Wood map endpapers, [xiv] 58(2)pp with black and white illustrations by E H Shepard throughout. In original first state dust jacket priced at 7/6 and with the advert for the 117th Thousand of When We Were Very Young on the rear flap. The boards are clean and bright with just a touch of pushing to three of the four corners and to the spine tips. There is a tiny proud dot two thirds of the way down on the left of the front board (1.5cms in from the gilt rule) and a small ding at the bottom edge of the rear board Internally very clean, without name, inscription or bookplate and just a strip of toning/acid migration to the free endpapers where the dust jacket does not reach, noting a single 2mm spot at the bottom of the recto of the illustration preceding chapter 1. There are a few light spots along the fore edge of the text block. The binding is very firm and square with no cracks. The dust jacket which is now protected in a removable, clear cover (not shown) is much cleaner than is usually found with uniform toning that is more evident to the spine. There is a little rubbing to the corners and spine tips with minor loss to the corners on the front panel and of up to 3mm on the head of the spine which does not affect the titles. The foot of the spine has a very small triangular chip measuring 5 x 3mm. All in all a lovely looking clean 1st Edition copy in an excellent original, unrestored dust jacket. Rainford & Parris Books welcomes enquiries, so please do not hesitate to ask if you require further images or have any questions. All books are packaged with great care.
Seller: Rainford & Parris Books - PBFA, Bishop's Stortford, United Kingdom
Price: US$7571.27 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: A beautifully bound set of A A Milne's classic children's works featuring his anthropomorphic bear Winnie the Pooh. From the library of Julian's Park, which was once home to the Socialite Audrey Pleydell-Bouverie. Comprising early editions of these works. 'Winnie The Pooh' is a second edition of 1926; 'House at Pooh Corner' is a third edition of 1929; 'When We Were Very Young' is a Nineteenth Edition of 1929, 'Now We Are Six' is a fifth edition of 1929.Milne was a prolific author and is now best-remembered for his creation of Winnie-The-Pooh and his many friends. This set of best selling works comprises of the first volume of stories solely regarding Pooh, 'Winnie-The-Pooh', and two poetry collections, 'Now We Are Six' and 'When We Were Very Young'. 'Now We are Six' contains thirty-five verses, eleven of which are accompanied by illustrations featuring Winnie-The-Pooh. 'When We Were Very Young' contains forty-four poems, including 'Teddy Bear' which, upon its initial publication in 'Punch' magazine, was the first literary appearance of Winnie-The-Pooh. The introduction to 'When We Were Very Young' implies that the narrator may be Christopher Robin.These works are illustrated by E H Shepard, a popular twentieth century illustrator whose pen and ink drawings were featured in all of Milne's works.Bound by Sangorski and Sutcliffe, with their binder's stamp to the front pastedown. All volumes are in a half calf binding, with gilt tooled silhouettes of the characters Winnie The Pooh, Tigger, Eeyore, Owl, Rabbit and Piglet to the spines. The boards are covered in charming paper which has a repeated animal motif. This same paper is used for the endpapers. Pleydell-Bouverie was a close friend of Stanley Bray, who worked at the firm for over 60 years. He often bound books for her as gifts.From the library at Julians Park, the former home of Audrey Pleydell-Bouverie (Audrey Evelyn James Coats, and Audrey Evelyn James Field). Pleydell-Bouverie was the youngest daughter of an Anglo-American lumber and steel millionaire. Audrey was also alleged to be the illegitimate granddaughter of King Edward VII, although she was also rumoured to be his daugher, or the lover of King Edward VIII. She bought Julians Park in 1940 following her third marriage to the Hon Peter Pleydell-Bouverie. Audrey was a patron of the arts and it is believed that she bound several books herself, as many books from her library were stamped with her name and she owned a group of bookbinding tools. Her circle of friends included Winston Churchill, Coco Chanel and Nancy Mitford. She was featured in Cecil Beaton's 'Book of Beauty' and was regarded as one of the Bright Young Things. In a half calf binding with paper covered boards. Externally, very smart with light rubbing to the spines and extremities. Fading to the spine of 'When We Were Very Young'. Binder's stamp to the verso of front endpaper, 'Sangorski and Sutcliffe'. Internally, all volumes are firmly bound. Pages are bright with occasional light spots. Very Good
Seller: Rooke Books PBFA, Bath, United Kingdom
Price: US$7698.31 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: Complete set of the first editions of When We Were Very Young; Winnie the Pooh; Now We Are Six; and The House at Pooh Corner, with drawings by E.H.Sheppard. First published in 1926, 1927, 1928, 1925. Original gilt cloth with later slipcase.An excellent set with very minor shelfwear to corners, with beautiful custom leather slipcase. Lacking the original dust jackets but very well preserved. Rare.Please inquire if further detailed are needed, photographs can be arranged via email. Please obtain a shipping quote prior to ordering, shipping may be increased.
Seller: Garland Books, Dundee, UK, United Kingdom
Price: US$12500.00 + shipping
Condition: Fine
Description: 1926, 1927, 1928. Three volumes, all first edition, first printing. All Fine, in Near Fine dust jackets, with top and bottom corners of front flaps clipped, and light toning to the spine panels, slight soiling. Winnie the Pooh: Small vintage bookseller ticket to front paste down, toning to endsheets. In first issue dust jacket with "117th Thousand" at the top of the rear flap, with two faint blue lines running horizontally at top third and bottom sixth of jacket, light crimping at top edge of front panel and very small losses at the top of the flap folds. Now We Are Six: Spine cloth faintly darkened. In first issue dust jacket with Winnie the Pooh listed at 70th Thousand and Fourth Edition on rear jacket flap; jacket has an L shaped teat at the top front spine joint extending across the spine and affecting the word "Are" in the title. The House at Pooh Corner: Toning to endsheets, and a light crimp to dust jacket at foot of spine, else a very sharp and bright copy in a first issue dust jacket with a price on the spine and "179th Thousand" on rear flap. While not complete (lacking the first book in the series When We Were Very Young), an honest and true set, with dust jacket spines uniformly sunned, with volumes not married or packaged together in modern times. A beautiful and bright set, in much nicer shape than as normally found in.
Seller: Burnside Rare Books, ABAA, Portland, OR, U.S.A.