Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
London: William Heinemann, Ltd., (1956). Color plates, black and white illustrations in text. Full leather. Octavo. 162 pages. Full polished red calf over boards with gilt border rules on both boards, gilt-stamped titles and ornamentation to spine. A few light rubs to binding and a slight split along upper joint. Slipcase has some minor spots of wear.
A particularly lovely copy of this masterpiece, featuring the groundbreaking 1907 illustrations by Arthur Rackham. Rackham's work on "Alice" was controversial at the time. Purists felt that none but the original drawings by Sir John Tenniel should illustrate what had by then become an acknowledged classic. Many others, however, recognized the genius in Rackham's visual reinterpretation of the story and its darker edge. Rackham would go on to become one of the most celebrated illustrators of the Edwardian era, and his 1907 Alice opened the door for editions illustrated by many other artists over the next century, from Salvador Dalí to Yayoi Kusama.
There are 13 color plates and numerous other black and white illustrations within the text. Beautiful polished full red calf binding with gilt-stamped ornaments on spine, black and brown spine title labels stamped in gilt, marbled endpapers, all edges of textblock gilt. With red cloth slipcase.
Item #1148
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