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Rare first edition, first state of Jane and Ann Taylor's Little Ann; inscribed by Louisa May Alcott
TAYLOR, JANE AND ANN. ILLUSTRATED BY KATE GREENAWAY. [LOUISA MAY ALCOTT].
Little Ann and Other Poems.
London: George Routledge & Sons [1882].
First edition, first state of this children’s classic. First state with the half green cloth binding, all edges stained blue and bright yellow endpapers. Schuster & Engen 109a. Octavo, original half green cloth over pictorial boards, illustrated by Kate Greenaway, printed in colours by Edmund Evans. Association copy, inscribed by Louisa May Alcott on the front free endpaper, “Aubrey, from his friend L. M. Alcott Aug. 1884.” Louisa May Alcott remains best known for her beloved children’s classic, Little Women, published in 1868. One of the most popular juvenile books ever published, “Little Women is an outstanding achievement of 19th-century American literature, and the first children’s novel written in that country to have become an enduring classic.” “It is one of the first fictional texts for children to convey the difficulties and anxieties of girlhood, and… suggests that becoming a ‘little woman’ is a learned and often fraught process, not an instinctual or natural condition of female development” (Foster & Simon, 87). In good condition. Loss to the lower right portion of the front board. Bookplate. A very nice association linking the quintessential Art Nouveau illustrator of juvenile fiction with the author of one of the most popular juvenile books ever published.
Price: $7,500.00 Item Number: 142318
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"The house seemed swarming with boys, who were beguiling the rainy twilight with all sorts of amusements": First edition, first state of Louisa May Alcott's Little Men
ALCOTT, LOUISA MAY.
Little Men: Life at Plumfield with Jo’s Boys.
Boston: Roberts Brothers 1871.
First edition, first issue of the second book it Alcott’s Little Women trilogy. Octavo, original green cloth with gilt titles and tooling to the spine and front panel, illustrated with plates including tissue-guarded frontispiece. In near fine condition. A desirable example.
Price: $975.00 Item Number: 111024
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"Oh, my heart, what a muddle!": Autograph Manuscript Page From Louisa May Alcott
ALCOTT, LOUISA MAY.
Louisa May Alcott Manuscript Leaf.
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Autograph manuscript page from Louisa May Alcott’s Jack and Jill, Chapter VIII, page 129. One page. The manuscript page reads, “up no capers with that child! The idea of a hot bath in the middle of the day, and him full of dinner, and croupy into the bargain! Wet a corner of a towel at the kettle-spout and polish him off if you like, but you won’t risk his life in no bath-tubs this cold day.’ Miss Bat’s word was law in some things, so Molly had to submit, and took Boo away, saying, loftily, as she left the room, ‘I shall ask father, and do it tonight, for I will not have my brother look like a pig.’ ‘My patience! How the Siamese do leave their things around,’she exclaimed [crossed out a moment after’] as she surveyed her room after making up the fire and polishing off Boo. ‘I’ll put things in order, and then mend up my rags, if I can find my thimble. Now, let me see,’ and she went to exploring her closet, bureau, and table, finding such disorder everywhere that her courage nearly gave out. She had clothes enough, but all needed care; even her best dress had two buttons off, and her drawers were a perfect chaos of soiled ruffles, off gloves, old ribbons, boot lacings, and bits of paper. ‘Oh, my heart, what a muddle! Mrs. Minot wouldn’t think much of me if she could see that,’ said Molly, recalling [crossed out ‘that Mrs.’] how that lady once said she could judge a good deal of a little girl’s character & habits by a peep at her top drawer, & went on to guess how each of the schoolmates kept hers, with great success.” The final printing reads slightly differently. Matted and framed opposite a photograph of Alcott. The entire piece measures 17.5 inches by 20 inches. Manuscript pages from Alcott seldom enter the market.
Price: $7,200.00 Item Number: 65051