Description

FIRST FACSIMILE EDITION OF ALICE’S ADVENTURES UNDER GROUND,
PRESENTATION/ASSOCIATION COPY INSCRIBED BY CARROLL

CARROLL, Lewis. Alice’s Adventures Under Ground. Being a Facsimile of the Original in MS. Book afterwards developed into Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. London and New York: Macmillan, 1886. Octavo, original gilt-stamped red cloth, all edges gilt. Housed in custom full red morocco box.

First facsimile edition of this important predecessor to Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, with 37 illustrations by Carroll, inscribed on the half title, “Grace Denman, from the author, Jan. 1887.”

“The tale of Alice was told first, as is well known, during a river expedition at Oxford in 1862. Dodgson even then seems to have promised Miss Alice Liddell to write out the story, which he did, inserting his own illustrations” (Williams, 194). This version, written solely for the amusement of Ms. Liddell, was presented to her as a Christmas gift in 1864. In the following years, Carroll expanded the story into the full version of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Following its enormous success of that book, this facsimile edition of the original manuscript was planned with proceeds to benefit children’s hospitals. Also contains Carroll’s Easter and Christmas greetings. Williams 194. Lewis Carroll at Texas 462. This copy inscribed to one of the author’s favorite child acquaintances, Grace Denman, who was nearing 30 by the time of this inscription. Dodgson “first met Grace on June 25, 1864? Within a fortnight he called on Grace’s father, George Denman, M.P., Judge of the High Court, translator of  Greek and Latin verse, and arranged to photograph her? Thereafter he occasionally called on the Denmans when he was in London” (Cohen, 179n1).

Inner paper hinges split, binding sound. Original cloth lovely, gilt bright. A lovely, very nearly fine copy with an excellent association.