APRIL BABY'S BOOK OF TUNES
1900. Item #86572
[RUSSELL, Mary Annette Beauchamp]. THE APRIL BABY'S BOOK OF TUNES, with the story of how they came to be written. By the author of `Elizabeth and Her Secret Garden.' Illustrated by Kate Greenaway. London: MacMillan & Co., 1900. First edition of Greenaway's final book, done when she was ill. Sixteen chromo lithographs, of which six are full page. Musical illustrations in text. [vi] 1-74 [75-76] pp. Oblong octavo, publisher's tan cloth binding, decorated and printed in black and red, all edges tinted. Bookplate (William Heighway) on front pastedown. A fine and fresh copy but for a small amount of light foxing on rear endpapers, in publisher's dust-jacket. The scarce dust-jacket is edgeworn and lightly dust-soiled, showing small loss at fold-in corners, and is chipped at heel and crown. Pasted between front endpapers is a fragment of a letter from the author, possibly addressed to Greenaway. It reads, "really very like one of my three children. I quite defer to your more experienced judgement, but if possible would prefer the blue colouring," and is signed, "I am yours very truly M. v. Arnim." Russell's first marriage was to the Count von Arnim-Schlagenthin. (Schuster & Engen 25, Thomson 161).
Price: $1,250.00