First Print, The Story Of Little Black Sambo, 27 Hand Color Engravings, Extremely Scarce

London Grant Richards 1899. Rare First Edition. Illustrated in color throughout with twenty-seven full page illustrations by the author, engraved on wood and color-printed by Edmund Evans. Miniature size book, about 3" x 5", 57 pages. Pale green cloth with vertical dark green lines and titles. Re-cased with the original materials laid back down. Cloth with one small spot of bubbling. Internally very clean for a children's book, and without inscriptions, owner names, or notations. 

IMPORTANT AND RARE FIRST EDITION AND A VERY WELL PRESERVED COPY OF THIS CHILDREN'S CLASSIC. Bannerman wrote her stories to entertain her own children. "Little Black Sambo" was their favorite. The author never intended the book for publication, but through the encouragement of her children and friends, the manuscript was shown to E.V. Lucas who agreed to publish it as the fourth title in his series of "The Dumpy Books for Children" (Schiller, p. 381). Together with Beatrix Potter, Helen Bannerman established the genre of children's books that gave pictures and text equal importance. Very few copies of the original printing have survived, and of the copies known, most have been badly worn because the small book was unable to withstand the constant handling of children.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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