Books

Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens was first published in 1906, in both deluxe and trade editions, with the plates gathered at the end. The "New Edition" of 1912 is in larger format, with new illustrations dated 1912, the colour plates distributed throughout the text, the text entirely reset (readily identifiable by running headlines in a large italic typeface), uncoloured head- and tailpieces to each chapter, a calligraphic title page printed in two colours without the word "Limited" after the publishers' name, and with untrimmed fore and lower edges. In the first impression, the map of Kensington Gardens is printed across the page, with a blank verso. Later impressions of the New Edition have the title page printed in black only and the company name given as "Hodder & Stoughton Limited": these were presumably issued after December 1919, when the firm was incorporated as a limited company. The edges of later impressions are trimmed straight all round, resulting in a very slightly shorter book. This copy comes from another edition, superficially similar to the later impressions of the 1912 New Edition, but with the text now restored to the original 1906 setting, distinguished by the headlines printed all in capital letters, but enhanced by the addition of the head- and tailpieces from the 1912 edition. The map of Kensington Gardens is printed perpendicular, with the uncoloured illustration of Kensington Gardens on the verso. This appears to be the final form of Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens was first published in 1906, in both deluxe and trade editions, with the plates gathered at the end. The "New Edition" of 1912 is in larger format, with new illustrations dated 1912, the colour plates distributed throughout the text, the text entirely reset (readily identifiable by running headlines in a large italic typeface), uncoloured head- and tailpieces to each chapter, a calligraphic title page printed in two colours without the word "Limited" after the publishers' name, and with untrimmed fore and lower edges. In the first impression, the map of Kensington Gardens is printed across the page, with a blank verso. Later impressions of the New Edition have the title page printed in black only and the company name given as "Hodder & Stoughton Limited": these were presumably issued after December 1919, when the firm was incorporated as a limited company. The edges of later impressions are trimmed straight all round, resulting in a very slightly shorter book. This copy comes from another edition, superficially similar to the later impressions of the 1912 New Edition, but with the text now restored to the original 1906 setting, distinguished by the headlines printed all in capital letters, but enhanced by the addition of the head- and tailpieces from the 1912 edition. The map of Kensington Gardens is printed perpendicular, with the uncoloured illustration of Kensington Gardens on the verso. This appears to be the final form of the book as it continued to be issued by Hodder and Stoughton throughout the 1920s. The price-clipped jacket has the illustration entitled "A chrysanthemum heard her, and said pointedly, 'Hoity-toity, what is this?'" mounted on the front panel. The box has the illustration "An afternoon when the Gardens were white with snow" mounted on the lid. Laid in to the book is a four-page folding advert for Hodder and Stoughton's illustrated books, undated but giving the price of Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens bound in cloth, with 50 colour plates, as 15/- net. READ MORE Quarto. Original green cloth, titles and pictorial decoration to spine and front board gilt, plain endpapers. With the pictorial dust jacket. In the original publisher's pictorial box. Tipped-in colour frontispiece and 49 coloured plates with captioned tissue guards, black and white drawings in the text, by Rackham. Gift inscription to front free endpaper dated 1931, touch of rubbing to corners and ends of spine, in the price clipped dust jacket, wear to extremities, chipping to corners, chip to top end of spine with tape on verso, spine toned, light soiling to panels. An excellent copy. .

Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens is one of J.M. Barrie's works that features the character Peter Pan, offering a backstory to the beloved 'boy who wouldn't grow up.' Originally part of Barrie's book 'The Little White Bird' (1902), these chapters were later republished as a stand-alone story detailing Peter's adventures in London's famous Kensington Gardens. It's a tale of fantasy that explores themes of childhood innocence and escapism.