The Tale of Peter Rabbit.

POTTER, Beatrix.

Item Number: 130562

London: Privately Printed, 1902.

Rare first edition, second printing, one of only 200 copies of this children’s classic. Following the success of the first print run of 250 copies in December 1901, Potter ordered a further 200 copies of “Peter Rabbit” to be printed in February 1902. 12 mo, original cloth, with 31 color illustrations, leaf patterned end-papers. In very good condition. Exceptionally scarce.

In 1893, young Beatrix Potter, on holiday with her parents in Scotland, composed a letter to cheer Noel, the child of her former governess, who was suffering from rheumatic fever. "My dear Noel," she began, "I shall tell you a story about four little rabbits, whose names were Flopsy, Mopsy, Cottontail and Peter " The Tale of Peter Rabbit was born. Undaunted by multiple publishers' rejections, Potter published the first two private editions of Peter Rabbit at her own expense, both editions totaling only 450 copies which immediately sold. Publisher Frederick Warne agreed to print the first trade edition of Peter Rabbit and presented for the first time the now-familiar format of Potter's books: the earlier black-and-white line drawings replaced by full-color illustrations and the famous prancing image of Peter mounted on the front cover. "There are no recognizable differences between the first three printings, except that green boards were introduced after the first printing" (Linder, 421).