Uttley, Alison & C. F. Tunnicliffe (Illus.) ~ A Year in the Country : Inscribed by the Author

First UK Printing : Faber and Faber, London : 1957

The First UK Printing published by Faber and Faber, London in 1957. 8vo., bright green publisher's cloth lettered in gilt to the spine; together in the unclipped wrapper (18s net) printed in green, yellow, orange and black; with frontis vignette and chapter headings throughout by C. F. Tunnicliffe; THE BOOK a Very Good+ copy, mildly bumped at spine ends with some minor marking and damp-staining to the lower gutters of the end-papers ; evidence of tape removal leaving a vertical patch of residue to the front paste-down, where the wrapper protector was formerly attached ; The WRAPPER is in Very Good+ condition, evenly faded along the backstrip with nicking and chipping to extremities; more-so affecting the top edge of the lower panel; a couple of short closed tears to the upper edge; the longest being 2.5cm in length; some minor water marking, most evident to the lower panel. The wrapper is protected in a removable Brodart archival cover. First edition, correct first issue. This copy inscribed by the author to the front free endpaper: "Rex & Enid, with love from Alison, for Easter, 1958." It was 1915 when Allison first began to pen countryside stories. Her son, away at boarding school, received these offerings in the post on a regular basis, and after Faber and Faber began to publish her writing, her career as an author was launched. It was in the 1940s that Faber suggested she collaborate with Tunnicliffe, who had already illustrated several books for Putnam & Co. Ltd. 'Country Hoard' was released in 1943, and it was followed in 1945 with an illustrated reissue of ‘The Country Child’. Thus began a collaboration between writer and artist which would last some 30 years, and cover eighteen books and essays. The present publication draws on the author's experiences living in a remote part of Derbyshire. "To read Alison Uttley's month-by-month account of her 'year in the country'", the dust wrapper states, "is to enjoy the sights, sounds, smells and stories of the countryside with heightened appreciation."

BINDING: Hardcover
CONDITION: Very Good+
JACKET: Very Good+