THE BORROWERS. Comprising: The Borrowers; The Borrowers Afield; The Borrowers Afloat; The Borrowers Aloft; Poor Stainless.

First edition, first printing of each of the five volumes. The publisher's file copies. THE BORROWERS (1952): Original blue cloth with red titles to the spine and illustration to the upper board, in dustwrapper. A near fine copy, the binding firm and square, the contents, with the publisher's 'file copy' rubber stamp to the prelims and publication date and price in manuscript to the front endpaper, are otherwise clean throughout. Complete with the rubbed and nicked dustwrapper which has several closed tears but little in the way of loss. Small 'file copy' paper label to the upper and lower edge of the front panel. Not price-clipped. THE BORROWERS AFIELD (1955): Original blue cloth with deep red titles to the spine and illustration to the upper board, in dustwrapper. A near fine copy, the binding firm and square, the contents, with the publisher's 'file' rubber stamp to the prelims and publication date and price in manuscript to the front endpaper, are otherwise clean throughout. The publisher has taped in a complete folded dustwrapper between the front endpaper and the half title. Complete with the rubbed and nicked dustwrapper which has several closed tears and a small chip to the rear panel. Not price-clipped. THE BORROWERS AFLOAT (1959): Original blue cloth with red titles to the spine and illustration to the upper board, in dustwrapper. A lovely fine copy, the binding firm and square, the contents, with the publisher's 'file' rubber stamp, publication date and price in manuscript to the front endpaper, are otherwise clean throughout. Complete with the original dustwrapper which is a little rubbed at the extremities and with the 'file' stamp to the upper panel. Not price-clipped. THE BORROWERS ALOFT (1961): Original turquoise cloth with red titles to the spine and illustration to the upper board, in dustwrapper. A lovely fine copy, the binding firm and square, the contents, with the publisher's 'file' rubber stamp to the endpaper and title page and the publication date and price in manuscript to the front endpaper, are otherwise clean throughout. Complete with the original dustwrapper which is a little rubbed at the extremities and with the 'file' stamp to the upper panel. Not price-clipped. POOR STAINLESS (1971): Original burgundy cloth with gilt titles to the upper board and spine, in dustwrapper. An excellent near fine copy, the binding firm and square, the contents, with the publisher's 'file' rubber stamp to the prelims and publication date and price in manuscript to the front endpaper, are otherwise clean throughout. Complete with the original, rubbed and nicked dustwrapper which has several short closed tears at the extremities and the 'file' stamp to the upper panel. Not price-clipped.

An attractive set in first edition and with an excellent provenance. The first volume was the winner of the 1952 Carnegie Medal (and in 2007, celebrating 70 years of the award was named one of the top ten Medal-winning works). The basis for numerous film and television productions, the most famous being the 1997 BAFTA nominated British-American film starring John Goodman, Jim Broadbent, Mark Williams, Hugh Laurie and Bradley Pierce. Provenance: From the archive of the publisher J. M. Dent.