RACKHAM, Arthur (illustrator). "The Peter Pan Portfolio" from Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens. London; Hodder & Stoughton. [1912].
Elephant folio; 539 x 500mm, publisher's half cream vellum over light sage green grained cloth boards, upper cover lettered gilt, with string ribbon ties to spine and with the original cream satin fore-edge ties unusually intact (if lightly stained), the book housed in the original publisher's box which is decoratively lettered to lid (box worn and soiled, with loss and subsequent clever restoration); pp. [4], including engraved title-page and limitation leaf, and 12 large and stunning proof-size coloured plates presented in original mounts, with descriptive tissue-guards; a very good example of this prized portfolio, with light rubbing and flecking to upper cover, internally very fresh and clean throughout with fine plates and some careful restoration, and repair, to a couple of mount stubs at inner gutter; very scarce, especially in the box.
First edition; one of only 500 numbered copies, signed by the publisher and the engraver/printer, out of a total limitation of 600 copies. 100 copies of that number were issued bound in full vellum, with a handful, apparently, signed by Rackham on the mount. A portfolio edition of this work was also issued in the United States, but two years later, but the U.K. edition is the more desirable. The proof-sized plates showcased here were, reportedly, selected by Rackham himself as his favourites. They are greatly enlarged versions of those in the published book and represent the largest Rackham plates ever printed. They are truly impressive.
#2113458