Little House in the Big Woods by Wilder, Laura Ingalls; Williams, Garth (Illustrations) - 1953

New York: Harper & Brothers Publishers, 1953. First Edition. Hardcover. Near fine/good +. Williams, Garth. First printing with the illustrations of Garth Williams, octavo size, 248 pp. This volume is Laura Ingalls Wilder's (1867-1957) first book in the "Little House" series, the most famous of which is "Little House on the Prairie"; her books are autobiographical and relate her childhood on a homestead in the American Midwest. "Little House in the Big Woods" tells of Wilder's early childhood, as she turns five years old in the book, and is a tender story of family life in the country during the second third of the 19th-century, as seen through the eyes of a child.

Garth Williams (1912-1996) provides illustrations for Wilder's book; Williams illustrated numerous popular children's books, including many of the "Little House" books, as well as E. B. White's "Stuart Little", "Charlotte's Web", and "The Trumpet of the Swan". Williams demonstrates meticulous care in his illustrations, with an attention to line and detail; he spent much time travelling to the places where the Wilder family lived, even obtaining family photographs and records to create an intimate sense of Wilder's upbringing and farm life.

___DESCRIPTION: Quarter beige cloth with light green cloth boards, title in green on the front board, green ornaments of trees and deer running vertically along the beige cloth on both boards, the spine with green lettering and illustration, fore-edge rough cut, yellow endpapers, title page with black-and-white illustrations of trees and plants, black-and-white illustrations by Garth Williams throughout; octavo size (8.25" by 6"), pagination: [i-x] 1-237 [238]. In a pictorial paper dust jacket featuring a wraparound colour illustration by Garth Williams, white and brown lettering on the front panel and spine, a description of the book on the front flap, and bios of the author and illustrator on the rear flap; the dust jacket is unclipped with the original price of $2.75 on the front flap.

___CONDITION: Volume is near fine, with clean boards, a strong, square text block with solid hinges, the interior is clean and bright, and entirely free of prior owner markings; very light rubbing to the head and tail of the spine, to the corners, and to the bottom edges of the boards, and bottom corners are ever so gently bumped, else fine. The dust jacket is good plus, unclipped, clean with bright colours, with light edge wear along the top edge and small chips to the head and tail of the spine and to the tops and bottoms of the folds, some rubbing to the joints, and there is a small (three-quarter-inch) closed tear along the front edge of the spine; the bottom corner of the front flap is clipped, we presume by the publisher, as the price is located at the top of the flap.

___CITATION: Baumgarten, Artist p. 227, first printing of this edition with Garth Williams illustrations, showing the $2.75 price on the dust jacket.

___POSTAGE:  International customers, please note that additional postage may apply as the standard does not always cover costs; please inquire for details.

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