Bond (Michael) A Bear Called Paddington
£6,750
London, Collins, 1958.
First edition. Signed & dated by the author in the month of publication. 8vo. Original pink cloth. Dust-jacket, correctly priced 8s 6d.
“Things are always happening to me. I’m that sort of bear”.
The book that started it all! When the Peruvian bear with a penchant for marmalade sandwiches tootled into everyone’s lives in 1958, few could have predicted what a phenomenon Paddington Bear would become, subsequently starring in over twenty books by Michael Bond, as well as numerous TV series and film adaptations. The first book is a known rarity, but exceedingly uncommon signed and dated thus in the year of publication. A cornerstone of 20th century children’s literature.
In stock
Spine tips soft, spine slightly faded, a gift inscription in ink to the front pastedown, scattered foxing to the front pastedown and front free end-paper (which also has a name in red biro to the bottom right hand corner thereto); and slight tape residue to both the front and rear endpapers likely caused by an old dust-jacket protector (long since discarded). Still overall an about VG copy. The dust-jacket is also VG with shallow loss at the head and tail of the spine (not affecting any lettering), with a tiny chip from the bottom of the front panel and with a closed tear (and associated crease) at the left hand corner of the front panel. There is a strip of foxing to the edge of both the front and rear end-papers but the dustwrapper is otherwise a clean example
Illustrations by Peggy Fortnum.
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