Potter, Beatrix
Rare books by Beatrix Potter, including first editions and finely bound copies.
Beatrix Potter (1866–1943) was a children’s author and illustrator. As a child she was fascinated by nature, using her considerable artistic talent to paint animal and plants. In 1893 Potter sent an illustrated letter about a naughty rabbit to the children of her former governess, and their delight led her to submit the story for publication. Although it was turned down, she had 250 copies published privately in December 1901 for distribution to friends. Titled Peter Rabbit and illustrated with line drawings, the book’s popularity was such that another printing of 200 copies was required by February 1902, and in the same year Frederick Warne & Co. agreed to publish it with new colour illustrations. Eight thousand copies of this first trade edition were printed in October 1902, to be followed by a further twenty-one storybooks, all illustrated by the author. Potter’s success allowed her to devote much of her life to the preservation of the English countryside that had inspired her work.
POTTER, Beatrix.
The Tale of Peter Rabbit. [1901]
£69,500
First edition, first impression, an exceptional copy, one of only 250 copies issued privately by Potter, preceding the reprint of February 1902 and the first trade edition of October...
Sextodecimo. Original grey paper boards, decoration and titles to upper board in black. Custom blue cloth slipcase and chemise. Coloured frontispiece and 41 text... Read more
POTTER, Beatrix.
The Tale of Peter Rabbit. 1902
£17,500
First (privately printed) edition, second printing. One of 200 copies printed. The first printing was issued in December 1901 in a edition of 250 copies. The tale of Peter Rabbit was...
Sextodecimo. Original olive green boards pictorially stamped and titled in black to front cover. Spine rounded (not flat). Housed in a green half morocco solander box.... Read more
POTTER, Beatrix.
The Tale of the Flopsy Bunnies. 1909
£8,750
First edition, deluxe issue. Beatrix Potter showed an avid interest in the design of her books. When Warne issued The Tale of Peter Rabbit in paper boards and in cloth at a higher...
Sextodecimo. Original green fine-grain cloth, spine lettered in gilt, front cover with pictorial onlay within overall gilt design and lettering after a design by the... Read more
POTTER, Beatrix.
The Tale of Mrs Tiggy-Winkle. 1905
£5,000
First edition, deluxe issue. One of a small number issued in the deluxe format, originally sold at 1/6- rather than the 1/- price of the trade editions.
Sextodecimo. Original brown moiré cloth, titles to spine and front board gilt illustration laid down to front board, all edges gilt. Pictorial endpapers.... Read more
[POTTER, Beatrix] HEELIS, Beatrix.
The Fairy Caravan. 1929
£5,000
First edition, UK issue. Only 100 copies printed to establish copyright in the UK. The bibliographic story of this book is a strangely charming one - somehow endearingly amateurish....
Large octavo. Original grey green boards with dark green cloth spine, titles to upper board in black, all edges untrimmed. 6 colour and numerous monochrome... Read more
POTTER, Beatrix.
The Tale of Jemima Puddle-Duck. 1908
£4,500
First edition, in the first issue dust jacket listing only books published prior to 1908 and with the price of 1/- on the spine panel. The first three printings are identical, so the...
Sextodecimo. Original green boards, titles to upper board and spine in white, pictorial label with illustration to upper board, pictorial endpapers. With the printed... Read more
POTTER, Beatrix.
The Tale of Squirrel Nutkin. 1903
£3,750
First edition, deluxe issue in flower patterned cloth. A later deluxe edition was issued in a gilt decorated cloth with gold titles.
Sextodecimo. Original flower patterned cloth, titles to front board gilt on a white ground, pictorial endpapers. Frontispiece and 26 illustrations in colour by the... Read more
POTTER, Beatrix.
The Tale of Jeremy Fisher. 1906
£2,500
First edition, deluxe issue in burgundy cloth.
Sextodecimo. Original burgundy cloth, titles to spine and front board gilt, llustration laid down to front board, pictorial endpapers, all edges gilt. Colour... Read more
POTTER, Beatrix.
The Story of Miss Moppet. 1906
£2,500
First edition, first issue (with "London & New York" on rear cover). "At the beginning of 1906 when working on The Tale of Mr. Jeremy Fisher, Beatrix Potter was also planning some...
Oblong duodecimo. Panorama mounted on pale blue linen back, arranged in pairs with text on recto and illustration on facing verso, and folded concertina-style into the... Read more
POTTER, Beatrix.
The Tale of Peter Rabbit. [1902]
£2,000
First trade edition, following two private editions. With the original leaf-pattern endpapers and with "wept big tears" on p.51.
Small octavo. Bound in recent brown half morocco, titles and decoration to spine gilt, raised bands, original pictorial paper covered boards, leaf-pattern endpapers at... Read more
POTTER, Beatrix.
The Tailor of Gloucester. 1903
£1,500
First trade edition, first printing with a single-page endpaper occurring four times. This edition was preceded by one of 500 copies privately printed for the author. Eleven of the...
Sextodecimo. Original dark green boards, titles to front board and spine in white, pictorial label with illustration to front board, pictorial endpapers. Frontispiece... Read more
POTTER, Beatrix.
The Tale of Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle. 1905
£1,250
First edition.
Sextodecimo. Original brown boards, titles to front board and spine in white, pictorial label with illustration to front board, pictorial endpapers. Pictorial... Read more
POTTER, Beatrix.
The Story of Miss Moppet. 1906
£1,250
First edition, first issue (with "London & New York" on rear cover). Only 10,000 copies of the first printing. "At the beginning of 1906 when working on "The Tale of Mr. Jeremy...
Duodecimo. Panorama mounted on pale blue linen, arranged in pairs with text on recto and illustration on facing verso, folded concertina-style into the original blue... Read more
POTTER, Beatrix.
The Tale of Johnny Town-Mouse. 1918
£895
First edition, first impression with the 'N' dropped from London on the title page.
Sextodecimo. Bound in recent green half morocco, titles and decoration to spine, raised bands, original pictorial paper covered boards, original pictorial endpapers at... Read more
POTTER, Beatrix.
The Tale of Timmy Tiptoes. 1911
£850
First edition.
Sextodecimo. Original green boards, titles to front board and spine in white, pictorial label with illustration to front board, pictorial endpapers. With 27 colour... Read more
POTTER, Beatrix.
The Tale of Tom Kitten. 1907
£750
First edition. The first three printings are identical.
Sextodecimo. Original green boards, titles to spine and front board in white, illustration laid down to front board. Illustrated throughout by the author. Minor... Read more
POTTER, Beatrix.
The Tale of the Flopsy Bunnies. 1909
£750
First edition. The sequel to the tales of Peter Rabbit and Benjamin Bunny.
Sextodecimo. Original green boards, titles to front board and spine in white, illustration laid down to front board, pictorial endpapers. Colour frontispiece and 26... Read more
POTTER, Beatrix.
The Tale of Mr. Tod. 1912
£750
First edition.
Sextodecimo. Original grey boards, titles to front cover and spine in green, pictorial label with illustration to front cover, pictorial endpapers. Frontispiece and 14... Read more
POTTER, Beatrix.
Appley Dapply's Nursery Rhymes. 1917
£650
First edition. The first two printings are identical.
Sextodecimo. Original light green boards, titles to upper cover and spine in red, with illustrated label to centre of upper board, pictorial endpapers. With... Read more
POTTER, Beatrix.
The Tale of Tom Kitten 1907
£575
First edition, first impression. The first three printings are identical.
Sextodecimo. Original green boards, titles to spine and front board in white, illustration laid down to front board. With colour illustrations by the author. Some... Read more
POTTER, Beatrix.
The Tale of Benjamin Bunny. 1904
£500
First edition. The first two printings are identical. Muffetees is wrongly spelt Muffatees on page 15.
Sextodecimo. Original grey boards, titles to front board and spine in dark green, illustration laid down to front board, illustrated endpapers. Colour frontispiece and... Read more
POTTER, Beatrix.
Appley Dapply's Nursery Rhymes. 1917
£500
First edition.
Sextodecimo. Original light green boards, titles to front cover and spine in red, with illustrated label to centre of front cover, pictorial endpapers. With... Read more
POTTER, Beatrix.
Appley Dapply's Nursery Rhymes. 1917
£500
First edition.
Sextodecimo. Original light green boards, titles to upper cover and spine in red, illustrated label to centre of upper board, pictorial endpapers. With frontispiece... Read more
POTTER, Beatrix.
The Tale of Pigling Bland. 1913
£400
First edition. The first two printings are identical.
Sextodecimo. Original burgundy paper-covered boards, titles to spine and front board in white, illustration pasted to front board, pictorial endpapers. 15 colour... Read more
POTTER, Beatrix.
Cecily Parsley's Nursery Rhymes. [1922]
£400
First edition.
Sextodecimo. Original red paper over boards, titles to spine and front cover in white, illustration pasted onto front cover, pictorial endpapers. With fifteen... Read more
