Through the Looking-Glass. By Lewis Carroll. With Fifty Illustrations by John Tenniel. London: Macmillan and Co., 1872, 8vo, a.e.g.
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First edition, first impression with the error "wade" for "wabe" on pp.21, bound in the original publisher's cloth binding in original condition.
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Provenance:
Ink inscription reading "C. S. Bennett (?) 1881".
and
"Royal Library Malvern" sticker to the rear pastedown covering the binder's sticker of Burn & Co.
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Size: 130 x 187 mm (approx.)
Condition:
[half title, frontis, t.p., 4pp., 2pp., 224pp., 2pp., printer's device]
Original publisher's red cloth binding with gilt figures of the two queens to the front and rear boards. Text block very clean with no colouring in or inscriptions as is common with children's books, some occasional foxing and marks. First gathering very loosely attached with two binding strings, and the following gathering partially detached but less so. Gathering from pp.97 to pp.112 partially detached. Binding worn with some marks, rubbing, and scuffing, but the colour of the boards remains vibrant. Backstrip worn, more so to the top and bottom with some light fraying at extremities. Both boards attached with cracked joints which appear to have been somewhat repaired in the past, and front hinge cracked, thus fragile. Shelf and edge wear. Shelf lean, the book does not remain upright on its own (as often). All page edges gilt with a few small marks. Binding cocked. "Royal Library Malvern" sticker covering that of the binder, Burn & Co. Rear green endpaper partially stuck to the inner gutter and with a small edge tear.
[Green 84].
