A very sharp copy

Masefield, John ~ The Midnight Folk : The Limited Edition Signed By The Author : With The Scarce Wrapper

Heinemann, London : 1927

The First Uk printing published by Heinemann, London in 1927. One of 265 copies of the special limited edition signed by the author on the limitation page as issued, of which only 250 copies were for sale. This copy unnumbered. The BOOK is in near Fine condition. Original dark green boards with Japanese vellum spine stamped in gilt. The top edge gilt, other edges untrimmed, title page printed in red and black. The spine ends and corner tips are slightly bumped. A minor bump to the upper cover edge. Gutter easing at pp.144-145 but otherwise the binding is holding firm. Top edge gilt, uncut pages with some pages unopened. The blue silk marker is still present. The scarce WRAPPER is complete and the spine is lightly toned, some minor losses and nicking to extremities with some splitting to the joints at spine foot, and one or two very minor markings to the upper panel. The wrapper is protected in a removable Brodart archival cover. The first book in Masefield's influential children's fantasy series, which was followed by ‘The Box of Delights’. Authors such as Angela Carter, C.S. Lewis, Alan Garner and Neil Gaiman have noted the influence of Masefield's children's books on their writing. John Edward Masefield, OM, was an English poet and writer, and Poet Laureate from 1930 until his death in 1967. He is remembered as the author of the classic children's novels ‘The Midnight Folk’ and ‘The Box of Delights’, 19 other novels (including Captain Margaret, Multitude and Solitude and Sard Harker), and many memorable poems, including ‘The Everlasting Mercy’ and ‘Sea-Fever’, from his anthology ‘Saltwater Ballads’. An exceptional copy of the Signed Limited edition and extremely scarce with the wrapper, with only one such copy having appeared at auction in the last 30 years.

BINDING: Hardcover
CONDITION: Near Fine
JACKET: Near Fine