Available Copies from Independent Booksellers
Price: US$15.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens is a novel by J. M. Barrie, illustrated by Arthur Rackham, and published by Hodder & Stoughton in late November or early December 1906; it is one of four major literary works by Barrie featuring the widely known literary character he created, Peter Pan. Minor age-toning.
Seller: Blind-Horse-Books (ABAA- FABA), DeLand, FL, U.S.A.
Price: US$15.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens is a novel by J. M. Barrie, illustrated by Arthur Rackham, and published by Hodder & Stoughton in late November or early December 1906; it is one of four major literary works by Barrie featuring the widely known literary character he created, Peter Pan. --- No Flaws but for Minor age-toning.
Seller: Blind-Horse-Books (ABAA- FABA), DeLand, FL, U.S.A.
Price: US$127.40 + shipping
Condition: Fair
Description: This first edition is in fair condition. Discolouration and rubbing present to the front boards. Ex libris plate present along with heavy foxing to the title pages. Only occasional foxing present to the remainder of the pages. Small rip to one of the page edges. All of the coloured drawings are present in good condition.
Seller: Our Kind Of Books, Liphook, United Kingdom
Price: US$184.74 + shipping
Condition: Fair
Description: A decent hardback first edition which has been professionally re-backed, with all the illustrations present, but with some flaws at the beginning of the volume. There is some quite noticeable rubbing to the right-hand edge of the frontispiece (pictured), and the half title page is loose (almost detached). The binding of the book itself is sound and secure. The tissue guard for the frontis is not guarding the plate (it is on the wrong side of the half title page). As well as being loose, the half title page is a bit creased and quite heavily foxed, and the title page is also foxed (pictured). All the illustrations apart from the frontispiece have been bound in at the rear of the volume, and are in nice fresh condition. There is some light rubbing to the joints, and some minor rubbing and creasing to the 4 outer corners, but overall the external condition of the book is good (please see images of the upper and lower covers and the spine). Overall, a decent hardback first edition, but with some untidiness at the beginning of the volume, and the plates bound in at rear.
Seller: T S Hill Books, Dorking, United Kingdom
Price: US$382.21 + shipping
Condition: Good
Description: 4to: xii, 126pp, plus fifty plates. Rubbed, brown cloth, without dust wrapper. Gilt lettering and decor on spine and front cover. 49 plates bound after text. Minor spotting throughout. Small bump on bottom of front cover.
Seller: Westwood Books Sedbergh, Sedbergh, United Kingdom
J M Barrie. Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens. Hodder & Stoughton, 1906.
Price: US$382.21 + shipping
Description: 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.
Seller: Hampstead Books, Haverfordwest, United Kingdom
Price: US$384.29 + shipping
Description: xii, 125 pp. + colour plates section Einband bestoßen, Rücken beschädigt, Seiten tls. lose -- the plates are not complet. (45 of 50). LT Sprache: Englisch Gewicht in Gramm: 1258
Seller: Antiquariat-Fischer - Preise inkl. MWST, Freiburg, Germany
Price: US$450.00 + shipping
Condition: Good
Description: "Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens" by J.M. Barrie and ill. by Arthur Rackham. London, Hodder & Stoughton Limited, 1906, 1st trade ed., XII,125,(1)p., 50 tipped-in col. plates (incl. frontisp.), ills., bookdec. and orig. gilt cl. by A. RACKHAM. - Sl. foxed (worse at the beginning and end); one text leaf w. large tear. Covers waterst. in upper corners; spine-ends worn. = Latimore/ Haskell p.27.
Seller: Neverland Books, waalre, Netherlands
Price: US$455.00 + shipping
Condition: Good
Description: Ex lib copy with minimal markings on the endpapers and half title page only. All 50 color plates are intact although a few are missing the tissue guard. The tissue gurd across the frontspiece is foxed and there is some very light foxing on others. corners are bumped and the green cloth is worn. Gilt stamped front board has illustration of child riding a goat, also gilt stamped. All in all a well-preserved but not perfect copy.
Seller: Half Moon Books, Kingston, NY, U.S.A.
J. M. Barrie. Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens. Hodder & Stoughton, London, 1906.
Price: US$600.00 + shipping
Condition: Good
Description: Rust colored boards with gilt decoration of a baby riding a goat.Head and tail of spine are bumped, spine is slightly faded, exterior is overall a bit worn looking, but gilt is bright. Interior has some foxing on the title page. Rackham illustrations are tipped in, 50 color plates and 3 black and white line drawings. Illustrations are at the back of the book excepting the frontis. Overall a very nice copy of a classic tale. Extra shipping will apply.
Seller: Green Mountain Books & Prints, Lyndonville, VT, U.S.A.
Price: US$600.00 + shipping
Description: Hardcover in red boards with gilt titles; map, frontispiece and 126 pages followed by illustrations; very good condition except light wear to covers and brown spotting to edges of many text pages; all 50 tipped in illustrations still attached and facing tissue pages with printed text all untorn. Foreign shipping may be extra.
Seller: ANARTIST, New York, NY, U.S.A.
Price: US$605.17 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: 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.
Seller: Neil Ewart, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, United Kingdom
J M Barrie. Peter Pan In Kensington Gardens. Hodder & Stoughton, 1906.
Price: US$605.17 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: reddish rust boards with gilt titles to spine and front board and gilt illustration front board, disclouration spots to spine, slight wear to spine ends and corners, clean condition, Peter Pan's Map of Kensington Gardens printed front end-paper, tipped in frontispiece with tissue guard, illustrated title page, 126pp + 49 colour tipped in illustrations on thick card+ tissue guards which are at the back of the book, pages are clean and in near fine condition
Seller: Tilly's Bookshop, Haydock, MER, United Kingdom
Price: US$611.54 + shipping
Condition: Good
Description: - First Rackham Trade Edition - Contemporary gift dedication to front free endpaper - Terracotta cloth boards w/ gilt decoration and lettering to upper board and spine - Boards a little worn w/ gilt rubbed in places - Spine slightly cracked - Corners and spine ends a little crushed and frayed w/ spine head pulled but still strong - Edges of text block heavily tanned - Some scattered foxing throughout - Book ow/ solid w/ all plates present - xii/125/50 pages
Seller: Green Ink Booksellers, Hay-on-Wye, United Kingdom
Price: US$659.32 + shipping
Description: xii,126 p. First trade edition. Publisher's russet cloth with decorative gilt block of Peter riding a goat on the front board. Frontis. and 49 tipped in plates by Arthur Rackham with their captioned tissues. Map of Kensington Gardens on the front endpapers. Minor wear at the spine ends and light bumps to the lower corners. Faint spotting to first and final text leaves, otherwise a clean, tight and well cared for copy.
Seller: Cobnar Books, Deal, United Kingdom
J M Barrie. Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens. Hodder and Stoughton, 1906.
Price: US$700.72 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens - FIRST RACKHAM EDITION. 1906. All plates present and in very good + condition. Small mark to front board as show in the images. Binding in excellent condition. Minor fading to front and back board. Internally, no inscriptions. Minor spotting to some pages showing the age of the book. Overall, A Very Good + copy.
Seller: William Collins Rare and Collectable Books, Grimsby, United Kingdom
Price: US$789.50 + shipping
Description: 1906. 1st. Dec. cloth, xii, 125 pp. + plates sectioon. First Trade Edition. Latimore & Haskell, p. 27. Corners of boards bumped. Head and heel of spine frayed, with some loss. Irregular spotting and fading to covers. Foxing to first few leaves of text section, most noticeable on the half-title page and diminishing rapidly over the next several leaves. The plates section, which follows th etext, is on diffreent paper stock and has no condition problems. A presentable copy, allowing for the faults as noted above.
Seller: Powell's Bookstores Chicago, ABAA, Chicago, IL, U.S.A.
Barrie, J M (ill Arthur Rackham). PETER PAN IN KENSINGTON GARDENS. Hodder & Stoughton, LONDON, 1906.
Price: US$925.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: 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
Seller: Neil Williams, Bookseller, Victoria, BC, Canada
J. M. Barrie. Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens. Hodder and Stoughton, London, 1906.
Price: US$1169.49 + shipping
Condition: Fine
Description: 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 corners and edges. The binding is firm and intact and has some minor professional spine cracking repairs (almost unvisible). Half title and title leafs with miniscule spotting,one closed tear on page 69 (ca. 4 cm) all other pages are clean, bright and intact.
Seller: Nik's Bookstore Versandantiquariat, PBFA, Oestrich-Winkel, Germany
Price: US$1210.34 + shipping
Description: 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.
Seller: LUCIUS BOOKS (ABA, ILAB, PBFA), York, United Kingdom
Price: US$1250.00 + shipping
Condition: Good
Description: 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
Seller: The BiblioFile, Rapid River, MI, U.S.A.
J M Barrie. Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens. Hodder and Stoughton, 1906.
Price: US$1274.04 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: Cloth boards with leather corner and spine. No jacket, mild storage marks and scuffs to boards. Text block edge dust dulled. Gentle foxing, mainly to title page, and page edges. Minor tanning to text block edge.
Seller: Hay-on-Wye Booksellers, Hay-on-Wye, HEREF, United Kingdom
J. M. Barrie. Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens. Hodder & Stoughton, London, 1906.
Price: US$1401.45 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: 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
Seller: Rooke Books PBFA, Bath, United Kingdom
Price: US$1592.55 + shipping
Description: First edition. Quarto. pp xii, 126 + fifty tipped-in colour plates with captioned tissue guards. Decorated cloth gilt. Small gift inscription on half-title page. Prelims slightly spotted. Near fine. Very bright.
Seller: Peter Ellis, Bookseller, ABA, ILAB, London, United Kingdom
Price: US$1592.55 + shipping
Condition: Near Fine
Description: 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. --- More photos available on request.
Seller: Paul Foster. - ABA & PBFA Member., London, United Kingdom
Price: US$1691.09 + shipping
Description: Gilt decorated cloth, illustrated end papers, 8vo, 3 sheets, 125 pp, 24 plates with colour illustrations all with original tissue-guards, lists of content and of illustrations; -little bumped, slightly browned, very good copy. From The little white bird. Printed by T.+A. Constable, Edinbourgh.
Seller: Antiquariat Atlas, Einzelunternehmen, Hamburg, Germany
Price: US$2117.50 + shipping
Description: First Rackham trade edition, first impression; 4to; 50 tipped in colour plates by Arthur Rackham, captioned tissue guards, small contemporary gift inscription to front free endpaper, spotting to prelims and margins of text block, heavier to half-title; publisher's russet cloth, gilt lettering to spine and upper cover, gilt illustration to upper cover, slight rubbing to corners and extremities, spine ends bumped, else very good. Rackham's illustrations capture so succinctly the ethereal atmosphere of the story, with the still recognisable Kensington Gardens poignantly rendered, together with period charm.
Seller: Shapero Rare Books, London, United Kingdom
Price: US$2200.00 + shipping
Condition: Good
Description: "Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens" by J.M. Barrie and ill. by Arthur Rackham. Hodder & Stoughton, London. 1906 limited edition of 500 copies, this being no 430 signed by Arthur Rackham. Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens. illustrations and 50 tipped-in colour plates by Arthur Rackham, captioned tissue guards, some light scattered spotting, original pictorial vellum, gilt, lacking ties, slight bowing to covers, rather soiled and spotted. Rackham's greatest illustrated achievement.
Seller: Neverland Books, waalre, Netherlands
Barrie, J. M.. PETER PAN IN KENSINGTON GARDENS. Hodder & Stoughton, London, 1906.
Price: US$2750.00 + shipping
Condition: Near Fine
Description: (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.
Seller: Wallace & Clark, Booksellers, Houston, TX, U.S.A.
Price: US$2866.59 + shipping
Description: First Rackham edition, trade issue, bound by Bayntun. Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens was the most popular Christmas gift book for 1906. 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 the 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. Riall, p. 74. Quarto (239 x 180 mm). Finely bound in late-20th century blue calf by Bayntun, lettering to spine in gilt with morocco lettering pieces in red and black, double fillet border to covers in gilt, gilt inner dentelles, marbled endpapers, gilt edges. Colour frontispiece and 49 coloured plates mounted on heavy grey paper, with captioned tissue guards, black and white illustrations in the text, all by Rackham. Occasional foxing, very minor split at head of front hinge; a near-fine copy.
Seller: Peter Harrington. ABA/ ILAB., London, United Kingdom
Price: US$3100.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: 4to. pp. xii, 125, [1]. 50 colour plates by Rackham tipped onto thick brown paper mounts. tissue guards, with legends. map on front free-endpaper. original gilt-stamped russet-coloured cloth (very slightly rubbed, a few marginal spots on title). First Trade Edition with Rackham Illustrations.
Seller: D & E LAKE LTD. (ABAC/ILAB), Toronto, ON, Canada
Barrie, J.M.. Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens. Hodder, Hodder & Stoughton, 1906.
Price: US$4500.00 + shipping
Condition: Fine
Description: First Edition, First Issue bound in the ORIGINAL red colored cloth stamped featuring 50 mounted color plates with tissue guards in rear of book. The book is in wonderful shape with slight wear to the spine and edges. The pages are clean with no writing, marks or bookplates in the book. A superb copy!
Seller: Magnum Opus Rare Books, Missoula, MT, U.S.A.
Price: US$4905.06 + shipping
Description: 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.
Seller: Peter Ellis, Bookseller, ABA, ILAB, London, United Kingdom
Price: US$5096.17 + shipping
Condition: Near Fine
Description: First Edition de Luxe, 1 of 500 copies numbered and signed by Arthur Rackham. 4to., Publisher's vellum decoratively gilt, ties sympathetically replaced by the bindery of George Bayntun, lettered in gilt to spine, top edges gilt, others untrimmed, endpapers with pictorial map printed in blue to front free endpaper; pp. [vi], vii-xii + 125 + [i] + plates at rear; with pictorial title-page, coloured frontispiece, 49 additional coloured plates by Rackham, all mounted on brown stock with captioned tissue guards, text printed on fine laid paper. Published by Hodder & Stoughton (London), 1906. Internally fine. Externally Near Fine, with light overall dusting and soiling, and minor marking to spine. A lovely example of this famous Children s classic and Arthur Rackham s first notable book illustration commission. Please contact us for shipping costs if ordering from outside the UK.
Seller: GEORGE HANCOCK RARE BOOKS PBFA, BATH, United Kingdom
RACKHAM, Arthur; BARRIE, J.M.. PETER PAN IN KENSINGTON GARDENS. London Hodder and Stoughton, 1906.
Price: US$5096.17 + shipping
Description: 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."
Seller: Jonkers Rare Books, Henley on Thames, OXON, United Kingdom
Price: US$5747.50 + shipping
Description: Deluxe edition, number 204 of 500 copies, signed by Rackham on the limitation page; 4to (280 x 233 mm); engraved map to front free endpaper, 50 colour plates with captioned tissue-guards, tipped-in on thick light brown paper including frontispiece, the odd, tiny peripheral spot if one looks hard, otherwise near-fine; publisher's vellum, illustrative gilt block to upper cover, replacement ties, top edge gilt, others untrimmed, the usual slight splaying of the boards, a hint of dust-soiling to the spine, otherwise near-fine; xii, 125, [1]pp. Rackham's magnificent illustrations capture so succinctly the ethereal atmosphere of the story, with the still recognisable Kensington Gardens poignantly rendered, together with period charm, so much so, that one plate discreetly features King Edward VII.
Seller: Shapero Rare Books, London, United Kingdom
J. M. BARRIE. PETER PAN IN KENSINGTON GARDEN. Hodder & Stoughton, London, 1906.
Price: US$6000.00 + shipping
Condition: Fine
Description: A fine, clean and tight copy. Deluxe Edition, Limited Numbered Edition 294/500 copies. Signed by Arthur Rackham. Fifty Color Plates with Captions and Tissue Guards. Exceptional copy, missing it ties in a fine custom slip case.
Seller: Booklegger's Fine Books ABAA, Park Ridge, IL, U.S.A.
Price: US$6370.21 + shipping
Description: Signed limited edition, number 263 of 500 copies signed by the artist, of this acknowledged classic of the "Golden Age" of book illustration. It also represents the first ever appearance of Peter Pan in the title of a book. Following publication, Barrie wrote to Rackham stating he had "shed glory" on the text and requested they continue to collaborate (cited in Hudson, p. 66). 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), the present book, and finally the novel Peter and Wendy (1911). Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens, the most popular Christmas gift book for 1906, was the second of Rackham's books to be published in both a trade edition and in this luxurious deluxe format. "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" (Gettings, p. 112). Latimore & Haskell, p. 27; Riall, p. 74. Fred Gettings, Arthur Rackham, 1975; Derek Hudson, Arthur Rackham His Life and Work, 1960. Quarto. Original vellum, spine and front cover lettered in gilt, front cover with gilt illustration after the vignette title page, brown endpapers, front free endpaper with map of Kensington Gardens, top edge gilt, other edges uncut. Colour frontispiece and 49 colour plates tipped to brown art paper, as issued, with captioned tissue guards. Spine foot bumped, silk ties lacking, vellum lightly soiled, gilt bright, edges of white leaves foxed, contents unaffected. A very good copy.
Seller: Peter Harrington. ABA/ ILAB., London, United Kingdom
RACKHAM, Arthur; BARRIE, J.M.. PETER PAN IN KENSINGTON GARDENS. Hodder & Stoughton, 1906.
Price: US$9555.32 + shipping
Description: 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 condition. 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."
Seller: Jonkers Rare Books, Henley on Thames, OXON, United Kingdom
Price: US$12500.00 + shipping
Description: First Edition; trade issue; publisher's reddish-brown cloth; foxed, shaken and worn; only a good copy; in a custom quarter-leather clamshell box. However, this copy has been inscribed by the author on the half-title, 'To Godfrey Tearle, Because the 7-10 is not running this month (and for better reasons) from his friend J.M. Barrie, Sep 6, 1913.' Any version of Peter Pan is rarely found inscribed. Peter Pan first appeared in 1902's The Little White Bird (from which the text of this edition is taken), then in Barrie's 1904 play, followed by 1911's Peter and Wendy, and the 1928 first separate trade edition of the play. Tearle, who went on to act in films, appeared in at least two Barrie plays, portraying Captain Hook in the 1913-1914 production of Peter Pan at the Duke of York's Theatre. All books described as first editions are first printings unless otherwise noted.
Seller: Peter L. Stern & Co., Inc, Newton, MA, U.S.A.
Price: US$15000.00 + shipping
Description: 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
Seller: David Brass Rare Books, Inc., Calabasas, CA, U.S.A.
RACKHAM Arthur BARRIE J. M.. Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens. , 1906.
Price: US$15000.00 + shipping
Description: "(RACKHAM, Arthur) BARRIE, J.M. Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens. London: Hodder & Stoughton, 1906. Quarto, original full pictorial vellum gilt, cartographic front endpaper, top edge gilt, uncut. Housed in a custom slipcase. $15,000.Signed limited first separate edition, number 476 of only 500 copies signed by Rackham, with 50 mounted color illustrations.Peter Pan wasn't always the boy from Never Land who lost his shadow and fought Captain Hook. The character's first name "came from Peter Llewelyn Davies, who when still a baby became the subject of stories told by Barrie to [Peter's older brothers]. According to these stories Peter, like all babies, had once been a bird and could still fly out of his nursery window and back to Kensington Gardens, because his mother had forgotten to weigh him at birth. From these stories came the 'Peter Pan' chapters in The Little White Bird [published 1902], afterwards re-issued with Arthur Rackham illustrations as Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens" (Carpenter, 177). "The 50 color plates were unanimously praised by all who saw them. One critic wrote: 'Mr. Rackham seems to have dropped out of some cloud in Mr. Barrie's fairyland, sent by special providence to make pictures in tune with his whimsical genius'" (Dalby, 76-77). The bookwith which the "gift book" genre originated (Eyre, 41)established Rackham's worldwide reputation and remains "his acknowledged masterpiece [Barrie praised] Rackham's rendering of the fairy world but the book has much more to offer. The glimpses he provides of stylized London reality effectively set off the fairy life that exists in unsuspected conjunction with it, and he captures the loveliness of the Gardens themselves with masterly skill" (Ray, 204, 206 [catalogue number 329]). "A much-sought-after volume" (Quayle, Early Children's Books, 87). Frontispiece plate bound before title page, as called for; other mounted plates bound together at the end of the text rather than throughout as suggested by plate list, as often. Latimore & Haskell, 27. Riall, 74. Plates fine; scattered light foxing to text. Expected usual soiling to vellum, gilt bright. Without ties. A most attractive, near-fine copy of a scarce, most desirable classic."
Seller: Bauman Rare Books, Philadelphia, PA, U.S.A.
RACKHAM Arthur BARRIE J. M.. Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens. , 1906.
Price: US$26000.00 + shipping
Description: "(RACKHAM, Arthur) BARRIE, J.M. Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens. London: Hodder & Stoughton, 1906. Quarto, early half vellum gilt over light grey boards, brown morocco spine label, top edge gilt, uncut. Housed in a custom chemise and clamshell box. $26,000.Signed limited first separate edition, number 128 of only 500 copies signed by Rackham, with 50 mounted color illustrations. A superb association copy, inscribed on the illustrated original endpaper by J.M. Barrie to Pauline Chase, who played Peter Pan in the original London production of the play, "To Pauline Pan, a great Peter, from a grateful JMB."Peter Pan wasn't always the boy from Never Land who lost his shadow and fought Captain Hook. The character's first name "came from Peter Llewelyn Davies, who when still a baby became the subject of stories told by Barrie to [Peter's older brothers]. According to these stories Peter, like all babies, had once been a bird and could still fly out of his nursery window and back to Kensington Gardens, because his mother had forgotten to weigh him at birth. From these stories came the 'Peter Pan' chapters in The Little White Bird [published 1902], afterwards re-issued with Arthur Rackham illustrations as Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens" (Carpenter, 177). "The 50 color plates were unanimously praised by all who saw them. One critic wrote: 'Mr. Rackham seems to have dropped out of some cloud in Mr. Barrie's fairyland, sent by special providence to make pictures in tune with his whimsical genius" (Dalby, 76-77). The book-with which the "gift book" genre originated (Eyre, 41)-established Rackham's worldwide reputation and remains "his acknowledged masterpiece [Barrie praised] Rackham's rendering of the fairy world but the book has much more to offer. The glimpses he provides of stylized London reality effectively set off the fairy life that exists in unsuspected conjunction with it, and he captures the loveliness of the Gardens themselves with masterly skill" (Ray, 204, 206 [catalogue number 329]). "A much-sought-after volume" (Quayle, Early Children's Books, 87). Mounted plates bound together at the end of the text rather than throughout as suggested by plate list, as often. Latimore & Haskell, 27. Riall, 74. This copy is inscribed by Barrie to actress Pauline Chase. When the play premiered in London in 1904, Chase played one of the Lost Boys; she graduated to the role of Peter Pan in 1906, having been chosen for the part by Barrie himself, along with producer Charles Frohman. After Peter Pan, Chase retired from the stage in 1913, making only one appearance after that, in the silent film The Real Thing at Last, which was also written by Barrie.Plates fine, text with just a bit of occasional faint foxing; binding lovely."
Seller: Bauman Rare Books, Philadelphia, PA, U.S.A.