THE TAILOR OF GLOUCESTER

by Potter, Beatrix. Illustrated by Beatrix Potter

[30 Day Return Guarantee] Price: £10,000.00 ($ 16681.00)

Book Description

Strangeways. 1902. Very good condition with no wrapper.1st ed edition. This is the privately printed edition of the Tailor of Gloucester, of which only 500 copies were published. The book is in small format with pink paperboards with a line drawing of three mice sewing on the front cover. The book has a colour frontispiece and 15 colour plates. Beatrix Potter began to write her picture letters for children at the age of 26 and these were to become the basis for her books. The story of the Tailor of Gloucester was first told in a letter from Beatrix to Freda Moore, daughter of her former governess, Annie Carter. Having had her story of Peter Rabbit initially rejected by at least six publishers before Warnes agreed to publish it, Beatrix decided that she would not show her new little book to Warnes. She thought that they would either not want to publish a second book so soon, or that they may want to alter it or omit the nursery rhymes, or otherwise disapprove of what she now felt was "her mouse book". So she returned to Strangeways, the original printers and engravers of Peter Rabbit, and paid herself for a coloured private edition of 500 copies. The books differs considerably from the edition later published Warnes. It is longer, the pictures are not all the same and it contains many more jingles and nursery rhymes, sung by the rats and mice of Gloucester on Christmas Eve. Of all her books The Tailor of Gloucester remained Beatrix Potter's own favourite. This copy is SIGNED by Beatrix Potter with an inscription "To Cicely Roscoe from Beatrix Potter Jan 16th 03" on the front endpaper. Henry Enfield Roscoe was Beatrix's uncle and so Cicely was probably related to Beatrix. The book covers are a little marked, more so to rear. The spine has been neatly restored and there is a little wear to the edges. The endpapers are lightly browned and there is light browning to the text pages and just one small faint mark on the margin of one plate. Otherwise the contents are clean. Having been handled and given as a gift by Beatrix Potter herself, this is a very special copy of this exceptionally rare little book.

Bookseller Terms of Sale

Payment with order. All our prices are in British pounds. We accept most major Credit and Debit cards including Amex. and also cheques in British pounds drawn on a British bank. If we receive credit card details with your order, our objective is to get the book in the post to you within one working day. Orders received after mid-day UK time on Fridays may not be processed until the following Monday. Postage & packing are extra. High value parcels will be sent insured. We confirm despatch by email and provide estimates of delivery times. We would appreciate it if you let us know when the book arrives. Returns We do our best to make sure that all of our books are described accurately. Books can be returned within 7 days of receipt if found to be not as described. Please phone or email before returning any item. An immediate refund will be given on receipt of any books returned.