Illustrated by Raverat for her Great Uncle's Children's Tale

Wedgwood, Henry Allen & Raverat, Gwen [Illus.] ~ The Bird Talisman : Inscribed by Walter de la Mare

FIRST UK PRINTING. Faber and Faber Limited, London: 1939

The First UK Printing published by Faber and Faber Limited, London in 1939. 8vo., bright blue cloth with full-length pink painted label to backstrip gilt, together with decorative gilt border; clipped pictorial wrapper reproducing the frontis woodcut in full colour by Raverat; as well as the frontis, an additional 54 woodcuts including title page vignette, full and half page illustrations, and numerous in text, head and tailpieces; 8 in colour; The BOOK a lovely copy, Very Good++ overall, with endpapers offset and spotting extending from the outer edges to the prelims; the Very Good+ WRAPPER is a little toned, spotted with some nicks and small losses to the head and foot of spine, as well as ends of folds; clipped, but retaining price of 7s. 6d. net to the front flap. The wrapper is protected in a removable Brodart archival cover. First edition thus, with Raverat's enigmatic illustrations. This copy inscribed by the author and poet Walter de la Mare, to the front free endpaper : 'To H and M. Nicholson, with affectionate remembrances from W de l M, Christmas 1949'. An Arabian Nights-style tale, originally written by the illustrator's great uncle Harry Wedgwood for his children. Wedgwood was the grandson of the famous potter Josiah Wedgwood, and brother-in-law of Charles Darwin. The story was originally published in 'The Family Tutor' in 1852, and was later privately printed in 1887. The story follows a little princess who comes into possession of a magic ring, allowing her to communicate with birds. Walter de la Mare greatly admired Raverat's work, and the pair later collaborated on his 1942 publication 'Crossings: A Fairy Play' (Faber, 1942). A lovely copy with these charming illustrations.

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