"If one cannot enjoy reading a book over and over again, there is no use in reading it at all. "
— Oscar Wilde
J. M. Barrie (James Matthew Barrie) | First Editions
1860 - 1937
Sir James Matthew Barrie, 1st Baronet, OM (9 May 1860 – 19 June 1937) was a Scottish novelist and playwright, who gave life to the adored children's character, Peter Pan.
Barrie was born and educated in Scotland, but found literary inspiration in London, where he wrote several successful novels and plays. Upon meeting the Llewelyn Davies boys, Barrie began writing a tale about a boy's adventures in Kensington Gardens. This boy re-appeared in Barrie's fully developed novel, Peter Pan, or The Boy Who Wouldn't Grow Up, also known as Peter and Wendy. As lovers of children's literature will know, this was the story of an ageless boy and the daughter of a London clerk. Peter and Wendy have exciting (and treacherous) adventures in the fantasy setting of Neverland. Peter and Wendy is credited with popularising the then-uncommon name Wendy.
J.M. Barrie's commitment to charity and the protection of children is shown both through his unofficial adoption of the Davies boys, following the deaths of their parents, and in giving the rights of the Peter Pan franchise to Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children in London.
See below our stock of J. M. Barrie First Editions, and fine bindings.
Results 1 - 6 (of 6)
Peter Pan and Wendy.
London: Hodder and Stoughton, n.d., [c.1930]. ILLUSTRATED EDITION. Published for Boots Pure Drug Co. Quarto (25 x 20cm), pp. 272. With twenty-one full-page colour illustrations and many more in-text or to margins. Blue cloth pictorially blocked in black and gilt, illustrated dust-wrapper. Book is near fine, with a little sunning... More about Peter Pan and Wendy
Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens. From the Little White Bird. A New Edition.
London: Hodder and Stoughton, no date [1912]. [Children's illustrated] REVISED 'BEST' EDITION. Quarto (29 x 22cm), pp.[8]; 126 [2]. With 50 chromolithographic plates by Rackham, as well as further occasional wood engravings. Publisher's green cloth with gilt titles and decoration to spine and upper board. Neat ink ownership to flyleaf... More about Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens. From the Little White Bird. A New Edition
Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens. From The Little White Bird.
London: Hodder and Stoughton Ltd., 1912. 'BEST EDITION' OF PETER PAN. Quarto (28 x 23cm), pp.xii; 124. Fifty mounted colour plates by Arthur Rackham, each with captioned tissue guards. Recent full dark green oasis, gilt, with marbled endpapers and top edge gilt. Some spotting. Very good indeed. An attractive copy... More about Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens. From The Little White Bird
Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens. From The Little White Bird.
London: Hodder and Stoughton Limited, 1912. 'BEST EDITION' OF PETER PAN. Quarto, pp.6; 127. Bound in publisher's gilt decorated green cloth featuring four birds at head of board, and children linking arms at lower end of board. Author/illustrator/title blocked in gilt to front board and spine, additional tooling to spine... More about Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens. From The Little White Bird
The Admirable Crichton. Illustrated by Hugh Thomson.
London: Hodder and Stoughton, n.d. [c.1914]. FIRST HUGH THOMSON EDITION. Quarto (27 x 21cm), with twenty mounted colour plates and captioned tissues. Publisher's pale green cloth blocked in dark green and red to upper, gilt to spine. Contents are a little foxed, binding lightly handled, one neat/accidental pull to crown..... More about The Admirable Crichton. Illustrated by Hugh Thomson
The New Amphion. Being the Book of the Edinburgh University Union Fancy Fair, in which are contained sundry artistick, instructive, and diverting matters, all now made public for the first time.
Edinburgh: David Douglas, 1886. [Miscellany] FINELY BOUND AND PRINTED. Duodecimo (13 x 8cm), pp.xvi; 240. With sixteen wood engravings by various artists. Publisher's vellum with fine gilt decoration all over, including title to spine, and the university arms to boards. Oxblood endpapers; all edges red; later green cloth ties. Internally... More about The New Amphion. Being the Book of the Edinburgh University Union Fancy Fair, in which are...
Results 1 - 6 (of 6)