Books

London: Macmillan and Company. 1866 and 1872. First editions. First editions. Two volumes. Finely bound by Charles Elsden Gladstone in elaborately decorated full brown morocco, the spines with 5 raised bands and titles in gilt. Gilt decorated inner boards, marbled endpapers. Binder's initials stamped in gilt to the lower inner front board. All edges gilt. The publisher's cloth bound in as the front and rear pastedown of Through the Looking Glass. Illustrated with frontispieces and 90 illustrations across the two volumes by John Tenniel. The four page leaflet 'To All Child Readers of Alice In Wonderland', originally issued loosely laid in to first editions of Through the Looking Glass, has been retained and bound in. Some spotting and a couple of tiny closed tears to the margins of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, otherwise a fine set. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland is the first published edition, the second overall: the book was originally printed in…

"Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" follows the escapades of a curious young girl named Alice, who, while bored on a riverbank, spots a white rabbit in a waistcoat. She follows it down a rabbit hole and finds herself in a whimsical world. Throughout her journey, Alice encounters peculiar characters like the hookah-smoking Caterpillar, the grinning Cheshire Cat, and the Mad Hatter hosting a nonsensical tea party. She experiences a series of transformations, shrinking and growing, as she navigates through the bizarre landscapes and meets creatures like the March Hare and the Dormouse. The Queen of Hearts, with her penchant for ordering beheadings, adds a touch of absurdity to the already surreal environment. Alice grapples with the nonsensical rules of Wonderland, engaging in peculiar conversations that highlight the absurd logic of this fantastical realm. As she tries to find her way home, she faces challenges, solves riddles, and discovers that the reality of Wonderland often defies logic. Ultimately, Alice's adventures culminate in her realizing that the world she encountered was a dream. She wakes up on the riverbank, pondering the strange and wonderful events she experienced in Wonderland, leaving readers with a blend of imagination, whimsy, and thought-provoking absurdity. Carroll's tale remains a classic exploration of childhood, curiosity, and the unpredictable nature of dreams.

The true first editions can be identified by the binding, which is red cloth with a gilt stamped illustration on the cover and spine, gilt edges, and the date 1865 on the title page. Additionally, certain textual misprints or specific illustrations by John Tenniel can also indicate a first edition. In 1866, a USA version (First edition, second issue) was printed by D. APPLETON & CO, 445, BROADWAY which was made up using the actual sheets from the true first edition. This is known as the Appleton Alice version. An un-restored version is extremely rare.