Inscribed to Lydia Lopokova, with an additional letter signed

Beaumont, Cyril W. & Payne, Wyndham [Illus.] ~ The Mysterious Toyshop – A Fairy Tale : Inscribed By The Author With An Additional Letter Signed By the Author

C. W. Beaumont, London : 1924

The First UK Printing published by C. W. Beaumont, London in 1924. Tall 8vo., oatmeal cloth-backed pictorial paper-covered boards, featuring a charming tessellating image in full colour with various toys; paper label printed in green to upper board; lettered with decorative devices in gilt to spine; outer edges untrimmed; with frontis and numerous other in-text illustrations throughout in full colour, as well as two full-page; The BOOK is in Very Good++ condition with boards a little marked, backstrip slightly dulled; toning and offsetting to the end-papers, with a couple of spots to the outer edge of text block, occasionally encroaching into margins. The book is protected in a removable Mylar cover. The cover and decorations designed by Wyndham Payne, and the typography/binding by Beaumont. This copy neatly inscribed by Cyril Beaumont to Lydia Lopokova, "this little story of another 'doll' , with every best wish for the, New Year 1925" to the front free endpaper. Lopokova was an acclaimed ballet dancer, the wife of John Maynard Keynes and a member of the Bloomsbury Group. Loosely inserted is an additional handwritten letter on Beaumont's own headed notepaper. Neatly written and folded, the author thanks an unnamed recipient for the cigarettes. "It was a charming thought", he writes, "wishing you all prosperity and good luck in the New Year". A wonderful association copy, with an additional ephemeral item, of this charming Christmas story, printed by the author's own hand press. The accompanying images are provided by Wyndham Payne, the illustrator who was later commissioned to produce illustrations for both Kenneth Grahame's 'Wind in the Willows' (1927), and numerous other wrappers for Agatha Christie. Collectible.

BINDING: Hardcover
CONDITION: Very Good++