Very scarce with the wrapper

Themerson, Franciszka ~ My First Nursery Book : With The Scarce Wrapper

George Harrap & Co. Ltd., London : 1947

The First UK printing published by George Harrap & Co. Ltd., London in 1947. The BOOK is in Very Good++ condition. Publisher's original illustrated boards have some light toning to the edges and some spotting in places. The binding remains tight. Some very slight rubbing at the corners with light toning to the text-block. Internally, some offsetting to the illustrated end-papers but free of inscriptions. Light toning to the page edges in places. The scarce WRAPPER is complete and is in Very Good+ condition. Light toning to the folds, edges and the spine. Some mild edge-wear with only a little loss at the spine ends and edges in places. Some splitting and closed tears to the spine and spine folds. The illustrated wrapper remains striking in the removable Brodart archival cover. Profusely illustrated throughout by Franciskza Themerson. 'My First Nursery Book' tells the stories 'Who Killed Cock Robin?', 'The Gingerbread Man', 'Three Little Pigs' and 'The Three Bears' with uniquely striking period illustrations. A true masterpiece of book design and illustration, the book was first published in 1947 and then was not reprinted until 60 years later when Tate Publishing reprinted it in 2009. Franciskza Themerson was a filmmaker who turned to children's book illustration as a refugee in London in the 1940s, discovering a talent that is unique in the field. As the critic Jasia Reichardt explains in an accompanying note on the artist, 'she never patronises her audience', but 'treats her readers as partners in the discovery of the...minutiae of life. And this clarity is matched by the wit, charm and originality of the design and illustrations'. Themerson has representation at the Tate Gallery. A very scarce survivor of an acclaimed title.

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