Books

London: Macmillan and Co, 1894. First Edition. Very Good. 1894, 1895. Two volumes. 303; 238 pp. + 2 [ads]. First edition, first printing. Bound in publisher's original royal blue cloth elaborately stamped in gilt, top edges gilt. Very Good to Near Fine, with toning to spine, light wear to cloth, light staining to rear cover of the first volume. Previous owner name penciled on coated pastedown of the second volume. Pages toned. Housed in two custom slipcased, which are a bit worn.

The Jungle Book is a collection of stories by the English author Rudyard Kipling. Most of the characters are animals such as Shere Khan the tiger and Baloo the bear, though a principal character is the boy or "man-cub" Mowgli, who is raised in the jungle by wolves. The stories are set in a forest in India; one place mentioned repeatedly is the Seonee Hills, now known as the Seoni District in Madhya Pradesh.

For collecting purposes, a first edition of 'The Jungle Book' is identified by its publisher Macmillan & Co., and publication year 1894. As certain features like cover designs and typography can vary, it is advisable to consult a reputable rare book dealer or reference guide specific to Kipling's works for the more detailed nuances of first edition identification.