AT THE BACK OF THE NORTH WIND. Author of "Dealings with the Fairies," "Ranald Bannerman," Etc., Etc. by MacDONALD, George - 1871

New York: George Routledge & Sons. 1871. First US issue. Hardcover. Small octavo, original purple decorated cloth stamped in black, gilt, and blind, all edges gilt, pinkish cream endpapers. pp viii, 378, [2]. 76 illustrations in text by Arthur Hughes. Professionally resewn and rebacked, original endpapers intact, all spine stamping completely intact; inner hinges skillfully repaired, scarcely noticeable; light spine sunning; Xmas, 1871, ink gift inscription on front free endpaper; English trade binder's ticket (Burn & Co.) on rear pastedown; only minor rubbing to the gilt picture on the front cover; else a fine bright copy, with much less fading to the spine than is usual with this colour, the rebacking skillfully done and scarcely noticable, and the text quite clean and unworn. The US edition was made from a separate British printing, by Ogden & Co. In the first issue of the UK binding, with the "A.S." spine imprint, gilt framing on the front cover, and the publisher's device within rules in blind on rear cover. Sadleir 1474c errs in his identification of the US first edition [It's not often you get to say "Sadleir was wrong"]. Not in Wolff (who was a serious MacDonald collector). The author's most famous book, a cornerstone in any fairy tale collection, and a high spot of Victorian children's literature, with excellent illustrations by MacDonald's good friend the famous Pre-Raphaelite Arthur Hughes. Their collaborations are "the despair of the collector, for they are exceedingly scarce and collectors of George MacDonald are exceedingly keen. The North Wind is at once Hughes' most delightful undertaking and one of the most charming books of the period." - Percy Muir. The British edition is now rare in original cloth, and the US edition is even scarcer. An nice copy of a great book. .