Alice's Adventures in Wonderland [With] Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There by Lewis Carroll - 1872-1874

London: Macmillan and Co, 1872-1874. Fine Binding. Near Fine. 7.5" by 5". John Tenniel. An exquisitely bound, two volume very very early set of Lewis Carroll's influential works of Victorian children's literature. Beautifully illustrated by John Tenniel. Early editions of this work. The Forty-Second Thousand of 'Alice's Adventures in Wonderland', and the 'Twenty-Seventh Thousand' edition of 'Through the Looking Glass'. This copy of 'Through the Looking Glass' was published in the same year as the first edition. With the correction of 'wabe' to page 21. Prior owner's inscription to the title page of 'Through the Looking Glass', 'Ethel Cartwright'. Their inscription to the half-title also. Inscription to half-title of 'Alice's Adventures in Wonderland', dated 1875. Complete, with forty two charming illustrations to 'Wonderland' and fifty to 'Looking Glass' by John Tenniel depicting the many much-loved scenes including The Mad Hatter's Tea Party and The White Rabbit looking at his pocket watch. Upon the original publication of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland in 1865, Tenniel was far more well-known than Carroll, owing to his successful career as an illustrator and cartoonist, including many pieces for the satirical periodical 'Punch'. Tenniel also illustrated the coloured revised illustrations for 'The Nursery Alice'. First published in 1865, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland has remained a continually popular and well loved children's story, centred around the story of Alice, and her surreal experiences after falling down a rabbit hole and entering Wonderland. 'Through The Looking-Glass' is set six months after the first work and contains the much loved poems 'The Jabberwocky' and 'The Walrus and the Carpenter' and the first appearance of Tweedledum and Tweedledee. Lewis Carroll (Charles Dodgson) was a mathematician and author best known for this work, and its sequel 'Alice Through the Looking-Glass'. The work is credited as perhaps the greatest example of literary nonsense and whilst the work was meant for children (indeed the tale was originally told to a friend's daughter, Alice Liddell) the word play, logic and fantastical themes present in the work have interested and delighted scholars since its publication. A fine set of these stories, which are very bright and mostly unblemished. In a finely bound crushed morocco bindings. Externally, excellent, with just a few light marks to spines. Prior owners' inscriptions to the half-titles of both volumes. Second inscription to the title page of 'Through the Looking Glass'. Internally, both volumes are firmly bound. Pages are bright to both volumes. Scattered spots to the first and last few pages to both volumes. Occasional light spots to pages of 'Through the Looking Glass'. Near Fine