ALICE'S ADVENTURES IN WONDERLAND and THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS

First edition with Mervyn Peake illustrations, first printing.. Original grey pictorial card covers printed in blue and red, in dustwrapper. Illustrated with line drawings by Mervyn Peake throughout. A near fine copy, the binding square and firm with a little rubbing to the spine tips, the covers bright and fresh. The contents are spotlessly clean throughout and without inscriptions or stamps. Complete with the very good lightly rubbed and creased dustwrapper that is chipped with a little loss at the head of the heavily faded spine.

An attractive example of the first Mervyn Peake illustrated edition, which precedes Alan Wingate published British edition by eight years. Upon publication of this edition, Frances Sarzano, biographer of John Tenniel, wrote that "[e]ven Tenniel-charmed eyes should be captivated by the unfamiliar Walrus and the Carpenter, by the Sorry White Knight (who pleads for a Peake 'Don Quixote'), by the Mad Hatter and the Duchess's choleric child, but sadly enough, it will be at least two years [as stated above, it was eight] before this Peake Alice can be published in England, owing to the artist's contracts with English publishers." ('Alphabet and Image', 1946).