J. M. Barrie - 'Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens' (First Trade Edition, illustrated by A. Rackham)

Nik's Bookstore item-no.: 1-A162
First Edition, trade issue. Hodder and Stoughton, London 1906. 126 pages with additional 50 full-page tipped in illustrations in colour mounted on thick paper(with tissue gards) by Arthur Rackham.

This is a wonderful copy of the first trade edition of 'Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens' which was the first featuring of Peter Pan in the book title. It has the original russet cloth with gilt titles to the spine and upper board, along with a decorative gilt illustration of Peter Pan riding a goat on the front board and a map of Kensington Gardens on the front free endpaper. 

Critics were overwhelmed by the symbiosis of the writer J. M. Barrie with the at this time relatively unknown illustrator Arthur Rackham. For example, the Pall Mall Gazette wrote: "Not the least part of that good fortune that follows Mr. Barrie´s steps is his choice of an illustrator. Mr. Rackham seems to have dropped out of some cloud in Mr. Barrie´s fairyland, sent by a special providence to make pictures in tune to his whimsical genius."

Book is very good regarding the age and has slight rubbing and wear to edges. The binding is firm and intact. One closed tear to spine top (2 cm with traces of glue repair) and two miniscule tears at spine bottom (see photos). Half title and title leafs with miniscule spotting, all other pages are mainly clean and bright.