With A Christmas gift inscription from the author in the year of publication, “To Nellie Wilkinson. From Miss Potter. Christmas 1910.”
Nellie was the niece of the two sisters, Hannah and Elizabeth Harper, whom Beatrix’s mother brought from her childhood home in Stalybridge to work at the Potter family house in Bolton Gardens, Kensington. Beatrix was very fond of Nellie and apparently gave her a copy of each new book as it was published. (Judy Taylor, The Beatrix Potter Society Newsletter, No. 61, p.18)
Linder, p. 429; Quinby 18.
Provenance: Sotheby’s, 16th May 1996, lot 186; thence the Private Collection of Thomas & Greta Schuster.
Boards rather marked, and with edgewear, particularly at corners. Backstrip lacking; but spine and front hinge now reinforced under our direction. Endpapers with some light marking, and some light thumb-marking to margins. A presentable first edition with a nice Christmas inscription to one of Potter’s young friends.
