The House at Pooh Corner. by MILNE, A. A - 1928

London: Methuen & Co. Ltd,, 1928. Octavo. Original pink cloth, spine lettered in gilt, vignette in gilt to front cover within single gilt rule border, illustrated endpapers, top edge gilt. With the dust jacket. Frontispiece and illustrations in the text by E. H. Shepard, of which 7 are full-page. Ownership inscription to recto of illustrated frontispiece. Foot of covers slightly faded, extremities lightly rubbed. A very good copy in the slightly nicked jacket, loss to spine ends, dark spots to panels, 11 mm closed tear to head of front panel. First edition, first impression. Milne began planning his final Pooh book in 1927. Three years of intense publicity were taking their toll on the family, and Milne longed to return full-time to adult literature, telling his brother that "after one more Pooh book I must think of something else. In fact, it's time I tried a novel" (Thwaite p. 328). Christopher Robin was growing up, soon to leave for boarding school, and The House at Pooh Corner would be a farewell. But first there was an introduction to be made. Milne had bought his son a stuffed tiger, "Tigger", and told Shepard that he was longing to see the illustrations for this new character, who would become one of the author's most popular creations. Published on 11 October 1928 in an edition of 75,000 regular trade copies, The House at Pooh Corner was received by critics with a delight tinged by sadness. "The Times Literary Supplement congratulated Milne on avoiding 'the temptation to repeat his successful formula mechanically', though it was 'sad to see the stories end'" (Thwaite p. 336).