Alice's Adventures in Wonderland [with] Through the Looking Glass [with] Alice's Adventures Underground. Illustrated by John Tenniel [and] The Author. by CARROLL, Lewis [pseud. DODGSON, Charles Lutwidge]

London, MacMillan and Co., 1866, 1872 [1871], 1886. . 8vo; Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, second (first published) edition, first issue with contents leaf with inverted 's' in last line and p. 30 incorrectly numbered 3; tissue-guarded frontispiece and 41 illustrations by John Tenniel, some very light and random spotting, otherwise internally good; publisher's red cloth gilt, all edges gilt, blue endpapers (the rarer ones, as opposed to dark green) a little creased, discrete repairs to hinges, assumed split at some point, slight shelf-lean, some light rubbing and fraying to joints, spine ends and corners a little bumped, generally clean and bright example overall; Through the Looking Glass, and what Alice Found There, first edition, first issue with 'wade' for 'wabe' on page 21, third line from bottom; tissue-guarded frontispiece and 50 illustrations by John Tenniel; publisher's red cloth gilt, all edges gilt; spine ends and corners a little bumped, some light rubbing to extremities but an excellent copy overall; Alice's Adventures Under Ground. Being a Facsimile of the Original Ms. Book, first edition; illustrations by the author, a few leaves creased at margins, occasional marginal finger soiling; publisher's red cloth gilt, all edges gilt, professionally closed splits to hinges and upper joint, neat ink gift-inscription to upper endpaper verso, spine faded and ends bumped, light soiling but overall a very good copy KINDER21 The catalyst for the writing of the 'Alice' stories stems from a picnic with the Liddell children, including Dodgson's muse, Alice Liddell, who was so taken with stories that she asked him to write them down for her, which he duly did under the title of Alice's Adventures Underground, with his own illustrations and not originally intended for publication. However, when it was revised for publication, Dodgson cut out the more particular references to the picnic and added stories told to the Liddells at other times, as well as changing the title to; Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. The first printed edition, a small number of pre-publication copies, was quickly withdrawn due to Tenniel's objection to the printing quality of his illustrations and only about 23 copies survive (the remaining sheets were sold to Appleton in New York for their edition published the following year); the reprinted edition was ready for publication by Christmas 1865 although dated 1866. The sequel, Through The Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There followed a few years later (dated 1872 but actually published in December 1871); this collection of further stories of Alice was considered as good if not better than its predecessor. By the time a facsimile of the M.S. given to Alice Liddell (Alice's Adventures Under Ground) was published in 1886, the stories were highly acclaimed and widely read therefore readers were keen to see how this phenomenon had evolved from the author's manuscript handed to a little girl called Alice. It is therefore rare to have all three first published editions of the aforementioned titles here, in such good condition. Williams, Madan, and Green 42, 84, 194.