Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.

MAY, Robert L.

Item Number: 3588

First edition, first printing of this beloved Christmas tale, written exclusively for Montgomery Ward by Robert L. May, with 41 illustrations by Denver Gillen. Small quarto, original pictorial wrappers. In near fine condition with the lightest of shelfwear. An exceptional copy.

The story is written as a poem in the meter of "'Twas the Night Before Christmas." Rudolph's first screen appearance came in 1944, in the form of a cartoon short produced by Max Fleischer for the Jam Handy Corporation, that was more faithful to May's original story than Marks' song (which had not then yet been written). It was reissued in 1948 with the song added.