Description

“received with enthusiasm by critics and rapture by readers”: FIRST EDITION, FIRST STATE, OF THE ROAD TO OZ

BAUM, L. Frank. The Road to Oz. Chicago: Reilly and Britton, (1909). Octavo, original light green pictorial cloth, pictorial endpapers printed in black and red.

First edition, first state, with numerous textual illustrations and sketches by John R. Neill, many full-page.

Ever-responsive to his readers’ wishes, Baum returned Dorothy’s dog Toto to Oz in this, the fifth book of the series. He also included a host of characters—including even Santa Claus—from his other, non-Oz work. Like its predecessors, this Oz title was “received with enthusiasm by critics and rapture by readers” (Fricke, 25). First state, with perfect type on pages 34 and 121, caption and numeral on page 129, two pages of advertisements at rear and gatherings printed on tinted sheets in the proper order (off-white, lavender, gray, light blue, salmon, tan, light green, tan). First state binding of light green cloth stamped in black, dark green, tan, and red; back cover with silhouettes and sunburst effect; spine with “Reilly & Britton” at foot. Without very scarce original dust jacket. Hanff & Greene, 57-59. Contemporary gift inscription. Small early bookseller’s ink stamp. Slight wear to extremities and spine ends, light toning to spine, minor soiling to cloth, pictorial covers quite bright. A lovely copy in near-fine condition.