The Wind In The Willows - 1908 (1st UK Ed)
The first US edition is technically four days earlier and the second UK edition was printed in the same month and year too but this example is the more recognised (and now increasingly rare) UK first edition, so sought-after, worldwide. No explanation is necessary about the beloved characters Mole, Toad , Ratty and Badger, remembering that it was not until 23 years later that Ernest Shepard did the first illustrations of these characters. Generally accepted to be one of those uncommon books that will increase further in value as the next century rolls on, it is almost a privilege to hold and read from this historical beauty with its wonderful "patina of age" that originated from the stories and letters written to Grahame's fragile little boy Archie ('Mouse'), who tragically died in his twenties.
Specifications
| Author | Grahame, Kenneth |
| Publisher | Methuen and Co |
| Place Published | London, England |
| Year Published | 1908 (First UK edition) |
| Date of First Edition or Edition Notes |
1908 (US Edition four days earlier) |
| Size | 8vo - Octavo, 152mm x 229mm |
| Chapters | XII |
| Pages | 302pp |
Condition Report
| Cover | Hardcover in publisher's olive green cloth with gilt decoration and title original both spine and front board with general wear original all edges and heavily bruised and worn corners and a tiny 1cm tear at top of spine original front board with spine edges battered but intact and also with a minor linear scuff across the front board and a pale stain to edge of rear board as well. top edge gilt with rough cut bottom and fore-edges; the book being now protected with a clear archival covering with no dust wrapper however. |
| Overall | Spine remains surprisingly firm with no loose original missing pages original cracking original splitting of hinges and there still remains an intact tissue-guard on the only book illustration being the frontispiece by Graham Robertson however there is brown staining of front and rear endpapers and prior ownership names in pencil on front free end paper plus most pages have either minor foxing original quite faint remnants of water staining, though this is not unsightly, with the overall condition of the book remaining very good original better. |