The Water Babies by Kingsley, Charles 1819-1875 - 1919

London: Hodder & Stoughton, 1919. The large, lavish drawings Jessie Willcox Smith produced as colour plates for The Water-Babies in 1916 are among her most loved and admired works. She apparently thought highly of them as well because upon her death in 1935 she bequeathed all twelve to the Cabinet of American Illustration, a special collection of almost four thousand original drawings by the nation's most influential illustrators, preserved within the Prints and Photographs Division. Her works evoking the innocence of youth and demonstrating the artistry of illustrated books are among the Library's great graphic treasures. Here we have the Uk first trade edition of 1916, published by Hodder & Stoughton. Charles Kingley's Water Babies has been sensitively reproduced by many illustrators, but a number of critics believe that Wilcox's 1916 edition is the best " As wonderful as those editions are, however, none are quite as beloved as Hodder and Stoughton's edition of 1916 with twelve gorgeous colour plates and green and white text illustrations by Jessie Wilcox Smith." - [ The Book Tryst Website ]. My copy has been professionaly re cased, helping to retain the original feel. This includes the re laying down of the spine. Now presenting extremely well, being firm, clean and square. The spine is a little dulled, there is evidence of foxing, particularly to the preliminary pages, and the outer edges of the text block. The facing pages are virtually unaffected, and the tissue guarded plates within are in excellent order, and with no creasing. ix, 240 p, 12 colour plates to include the frontis. Note: The Uk first published by Hodder & Stoughton 1919, is uncommon and more difficult to obtain than the American counter part published by Dodd in 1916. Size: 4to - over 9¾" - 12" tall. [ Location: Display Lothlorien ]. First Edition.. Hard Cover. Very Good. Illus. by Jessie Willcox Smith. 4to - over 9¾" - 12" tall.