Puck of Pook's Hill.
New York: Doubleday, Page & Company, 1906. Illustrated by Arthur Rackham; extra-illustrated with thirteen additional half-tone illustrations depicting scenes alongside Kipling's stories. First US edition, first printing. Publisher's green cloth, pictorially stamped in black with image of a ship, titled in gilt, teg. 277pp. Mild foxing frontis tissue-guard, extremities rubbed, internally clean, binding tight and square, a near fine copy. Item #235773
EXTRA-ILLUSTRATED BRITISH FANTASY
In a whimsy-laced journey through time, the trickster Puck summons visitors from across England’s past—from Roman legionaries to Norman knights and Magna Carta–era merchants—each weaving captivating stories steeped in history and folklore. Framed by evocative poems, these vignettes blend fantasy with national legacy, culminating in a celebration of England’s evolving identity. The first US edition is notable for its four haunting color plates by Arthur Rackham, absent from the British edition.
This copy is further distinguished as an extra-illustrated example, enriched by a previous owner with thirteen additional half-tone illustrations depicting scenes of Ancient Rome. The juxtaposition of Kipling’s imaginative retelling of English history with Roman imagery creates a layered dialogue between text and illustration, offering a fascinating glimpse into the interpretive creativity of early 20th-century collectors.
[Livingston, 283].
Price: $350.00