1920's Antique Children's Fairy Book, The Rose Fyleman Fairy Book, Rare First American Edition, Illustrated by Hilda T. Miller, •Free Shipping

923 The Rose Fyleman Fairy Book, Rare First American Edition, Illustrated by Hilda T. Miller, *Free Shipping

Rose Fyleman had an extraordinary gift for writing about fairies as though their existence required no explanation. Her poems and stories helped make her one of the most beloved children's writers of the early 20th century. She created a world of fairies, flowers, animals and magic intertwined with small adventures, helping to shape a new kind of children's storytelling that did not talk down to its young readers.

At forty, an age when an Edwardian woman might reasonably have been expected to be settled into the life she had already made, Fyleman did something quite different...she sent a fairy poem to the popular British magazine Punch and launched an entirely new career as one of Britain’s most successful children's writers.

Her famous poem There Are Fairies at the Bottom of Our Garden  helped introduce readers to her enchanted world. The Rose Fyleman Fairy Book gathers Fyleman's particular magic into a volume made to be read, shared and returned to day after day and night after night. The charming illustrations by Hilda T. Miller continue to excite the imagination.

Published in New York by George H. Doran Company in 1923, this is the First American Edition, issued the same year as the British Methuen edition. The American edition is readily distinguished by its orange cloth-covered boards with black printed decoration, rather than the blue cloth and gilt decoration of the British edition. Tipped-in color plates, illustrations throughout, and delightful pictorial endpapers bring Fyleman's fairy world to life.

This is a rare First American Edition, offered at an accessible price because of the condition issues described below.Its condition and accessible price make it an excellent choice for a beginning collector of antiquarian books, while its completeness also makes it a very good reading copy for a family library or anyone who simply wants to enjoy Fyleman's fairy world.

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Condition

Good. This book shows the evidence of having been read and enjoyed. The pages are toned with moderate foxing overall. There is some ghosting from the illustrations.

One signature, comprising numbered pages 21–24, has separated from the sewing but remains present and undamaged. One tipped-in color illustration at page 27 has come loose from the page but is present and undamaged. The front pictorial endpaper is split along the inner hinge, barely exposing the binding beneath; the front board remains tightly attached. The binding is somewhat loose but remains intact and serviceable. All pages and illustrations are present and accounted for.

The orange cloth-covered boards show moderate soiling from age and handling. The spine is faded from shelf wear. The original black printed title and illustration remain visible on the front cover. An early owner's signature appears on the inside front cover.

As with many children's books of this period, this copy was clearly read, handled and enjoyed. Its condition reflects that history of use. Please examine the photographs carefully as part of the condition description.

Measurements

8vo (octavo). Approximately 9 1/2 × 7 1/8 inches (24.1 × 18.1 cm).