ALICE'S ADVENTURES IN WONDERLAND [with] THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS

Two volumes. Author's presentation bindings of white textured paper-covered boards, imitating vellum, with gilt titles to the spines, gilt triple-ruled borders and gilt illustration motifs to the upper and lower boards. Inscribed presentation copies. Signed by the author. All edges gilt. 'Alice's Adventures in Wonderland', fifty-eighth thousand, with 42 black and white illustrations; 'Through the Looking Glass', forty-fourth thousand, with 50 illustrations by John Tenniel. Tissue guard to the frontispiece of 'Looking Glass'. Very good copies, the bindings firm, both with the spines slightly rolled. The lightly marked paper-covered boards are dusty and darkened, more so to the spines, 'Wonderland' with a clean square to the top corner of the upper board and the bottom corner of the lower board (from brass corner guards, since removed). There is some light bumping and wear to the corners and spine tips of both volumes, and 'Looking Glass' has minor splitting at the bottom of the spine where it meets the front board, although in both cases the binding remains firm. 'Wonderland' bears the recipient's ownership name to the top right corner of the half title, above the author's presentation inscription and has some creasing at the upper corner of the front endpaper. Both volumes are spotted to the prelims, with occasional finger marks and light spotting throughout. 'Looking Glass' is cracked (but holding firm) at the gutter of the half-title and has an autograph letter from the author, loosely laid in. An exceptional inscribed set of Lewis Carroll's Alice books, in the notably rare presentation bindings, and with a wonderful single family owned provenance.

'Alice's Adventures in Wonderland' is inscribed in purple ink on the half-title "Ada Frost / from the author / Jan. 29. 1888."; 'Through the Looking Glass' is inscribed in black ink on the half-title "Mrs Dixon, / from the author. / July 18, / 1892". The recipient Ada Dixon, (née Frost, 1874-1964), was a professional child model who sat for sketches made by Dodgson in Mrs Shute's studio in 1888 (Letters 2: 692-93), where presumably this copy of 'Alice's Adventures in Wonderland' was presented. 'Through the Looking Glass', inscribed some four years later was presented in celebration of Ada Frost's, (now Dixon) marriage, the accompanying letter, dated the same day as the author's inscription in the book, reads "Dear Mrs Dixon, I am so very much obliged to you for writing to one, and was very glad indeed to get your letter and to know that you still remember me as a friend, and that you have turned over another leaf in the book of the story of your life, and have found such pleasant reading on the other side! I wish, to your husband and you, all possible happiness. As you already have "Alice in Wonderland" I want you now to accept the sequel "Through the Looking Glass", which I will send you by parcel-post, bound in "bridal white", which I think is more appropriate, this time, than scarlet. If ever I find myself near enough to Chalk Farm, I will give myself the pleasure of calling. With very kind regards to you husband, I am sincerely yours, C. L. Dodgson". Dodgson had white, gilt-stamped copied bound exclusively for his use as presentation copies for his close friends and cherished acquaintances, typically keeping a few on hand to give as gifts as and when he needed them, naturally making this variant notably scarce. Whilst Dodgson is known primarily for his writing, he was also a keen amateur photographer and artist. He created thousands of photographs in the Victorian symbolist tradition formed by the likes of Julia Margaret Cameron and Oscar Gustave Rejlander, and illustrated his own written drafts, including a precursor to what would become 'Alice's Adventures in Wonderland', a hand written manuscript titled 'Alice's Adventures Under Ground'. Ada Dixon was among many models who posed for Dodgson's photographs and sketches, and it was not uncommon for him to form friendships with them, exchanging letters and even attending their weddings. The most famous of his models is undoubtedly Alice's namesake herself, Alice Liddell, a daughter of Henry Liddell, who was the Dean of Christ Church College, Oxford, where Dodgson was a lecturer of mathematics. As well as employing them as photographic subjects, Dodgson would take the Liddell children out on rowing trips, and it was on one such trip that he first told a tale of the fantasy world through the rabbit hole, which Alice Liddell enjoyed so much that she begged him to write it down. Provenance: presented by the author to Ada Dixon (nee Frost) in 1888 and 1892, thence by family descent.