C A L I F O R N I A A N T I Q U A R I A N B O O K F A I R 2 0 2 6
8pp, but trimmed and stapled and shows some of the corrections indicated in the previous state but has further pencil annota - tion, indicating further changes to the lettering on the title page, which was eventually incorporated into the published version. All in very good condition with the primary proof a little dusty and finger-marked. $21,000 An interesting collection of documents, showing the creative process for one of the most popular works to be published as a spin off from Milne and Shepard’s immeasurably successful Winnie the Pooh books. This work draws on the text and illustrations used in the Pooh books, so that very little additional material is required, besides Milne’s introduc - tion, which begins by quoting Eeyore, “‘What are birthdays? Here today and gone tomorrow.’ Do let us make a note of them while we can.” He continues in characteristic whimsy before finishing with the book’s main attractions, “If you buy this book at all... it can only be because you are friendly with the four books from which I have taken the mottoes. If that is so, then you can amuse yourself (when you’ve got absolutely nothing to do) by trying to guess from which chapter or verse of a book each quotation comes. With some you will have no difficulty; others will baffle you for a long time even if you start looking through the books carefully for them.” The two proofs also show the design evolution for the book. The first sets the lettering in a standard font and has an illustration on the title page of Pooh and Piglet sitting on a fence with further illustrations on the text pages. The second proof, changes the lettering of ‘January’ to a fancy font and changes the size of the fonts as indicated by the pencil annotations, probably by Methuen’s lettering designer, A.E.Taylor. However, the fi - nal published version reverts to the illustrations from the original design for the main title page and January section page, though retaining the
he made few revisions, particularly when writing plays “because, I have already said every speech over and over to myself before it goes down on paper.” This manuscript is written fluently and with only minor revisions and is exactly as it appears in the first edition of the Christopher Robin Verses, a book which combines his two books of children’s verse. “It was always probable” he writes, “that, sooner or later, the two books of verse which I had written for and about children would come together within the covers of one volume; so that the publisher’s demand a pref - ace and a title for this volume cannot be said to have taken me by sur - prise... All I can think of is ‘The Christopher Robin Verses’... ‘The Shep - ard Drawings’ might have suggested (not unpleasantly to some, it may be) that the artist was having the book to himself. In a sense, of course, he is, for it is his new coloured illustrations which justify it.” Milne goes on to offer remarks about the presentation of children in fic - tion which he deems to be over sentimental. He avoids sentimentality through his use of humour, describing children as charming, but heart- less and egocentric, for example when James James Morrison Morrison’s Mother goes missing he “Told his other relations not to go blaming him” and when Christopher Robin went to watch the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace his question to Alice was, “Do you think the King knows all about Me?” Original manuscripts relating to Milne’s iconic Winnie the Pooh books are very rarely available in commerce. This manuscript is offered for the first time having been kept by Milne’s publisher (and by descent) since it was written. MILNE, A.A.; SHEPARD, E.H. THE ORIGINAL MANUSCRIPT FOR THE CHRISTOPHER ROBIN BIRTHDAY BOOK 1930 [45977] The original illustrated manuscripts for the production of The Christopher Robin Birthday Book. Comprising, 1. A.A.Milne’s autograph manuscript of his introduction to the book: two pages, closely written (approx. 450 words), mainly clean with occasional corrections. 2. Two states of the printed proofs of the initial pages of the book, the design drawn from the maquette, the first with the publish - er’s date stamp (11 Jul 1930), an 8pp booklet, uncut and without staples and containing mostly different illustrations to the ones in the maquette (and the ones in the final publication), contains several pencil annotations, possibly by Shepard, indicating a change of font or size of the lettering. The second state is also
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