Alice's Adventures in Wonderland

London/NY: William Heineman/Doubleday Page, 1907. Rackham, Arthur. Quarto. xi, 162pp., + 12ff. plates. One of 1,100 copies. Because Rackham was away from London while this book was in production, most copies of the deluxe edition went unsigned; however, this copy has been signed by Rackham on the limitation page. Contains thirteen large tipped-in color plates and many black & white drawings, which offer Rackham's distinctive, new interpretation of scenes made famous in Tenniel's classic illustrations, such as Alice's encounter with the caterpillar, the Caucus Race, and the Mad Tea Party. Hudson describes Rackham's undertaking as "the most controversial of his career," but concludes that "he has certainly made the greatest impression of all Tenniel's multitude of successors." The book opens with a "proem" by Austin Dobson that cheekily addresses the challenge of illustrating such a classic work, saying, "here comes a fresh costumier" to interpret the story according to his own taste. In the publisher's gilt-stamped white cloth bearing the title and a design of the Gryphon and Mock Turtle on the front cover. Cloth shows light finger soiling and minute toning to spine and endpapers; rear hinge started. T.e.g. A pleasing copy overall. (Latimore & Haskell, p. 28; Hudson, pp. 70-78).