Books

1905. First Edition. Signed. (RACKHAM, Arthur) IRVING, Washington. Rip Van Winkle. London: William Heinemann, 1905. Quarto, original full pictorial vellum gilt, renewed ribbon ties, top edge gilt, uncut. Housed in a custom slipcase. $12,000.Deluxe signed limited first edition, with 51 full-color mounted plates by Rackham, number 137 of only 250 copies signed by Rackham, one of the smallest limitations for a Rackham title and ""the first book illustrated wholly by Rackham to be issued in a limited edition"" (Riall). One of the most scarce and desirable Rackham titles.""Rip Van Winkle of 1905 was a turning point in Rackham's career because of its 51 color plates. Known previously as a black-and-white artist, Rackham with this book achieved preeminence as an illustrator working in the three-color process… Rackham's Rip Van Winkle is among the most thoroughly illustrated of English books… His 50 illustrations, which are grouped at the end, come at a rate of one to every two or…

Rip Van Winkle is a short story by the American author Washington Irving, published in 1819 as part of The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent. The story is set in New York's Catskill Mountains and follows Rip Van Winkle, a Dutch American villager who falls asleep before the American Revolution and wakes up twenty years later to a very different world. His disappearance and return are met with incredulity by those around him. This tale is known for its themes of change and continuity, the American past, and individualism.

One method to determine if a copy of 'Rip Van Winkle' is a first edition is to check the publication details and compare them to known bibliographic information about the first edition releases. Specific details, such as the publisher's name, the date, and the absence of subsequent edition or print run statements, could indicate a first edition. Consulting a reputable bibliographic reference or a professional book appraiser might be necessary for accurate identification.