Quartette by Kipling (5 results)

Edition of 250 copies. Contemporary blind-patterned cloth, (original printed wrappers and advertisement leaves if any not retained*), 8vo, 125 pp. *David Richards' authoritative bibliography notes that the advertisements present in many though not all copies do not form part of Includes the first appearance of 'The Phantom Rickshaw'. Quartette was sold, on the 19-year old Kipling's initiative, as the 1885 Christmas supplement to the Civil & Military Gazette, the Indian newspaper for which he was then journalist and general provider of material. It includes 16 works - eight in prose and eight poems - by Kipling himself and by his parents and sister, the most notable being Rudyard's "The Strange Ride of Morrowbie Jukes, C.E." and "The Phantom 'Rickshaw". Only 250 copies were printed and Kipling wrote amusingly to his cousin Margaret Burne-Jones about the chaotic circumstances of the production: copies were printed and bound up in the Civil & Military Gazette printing hall on overtime throughout the 'mad night' of 17-18 December 1885, with tots of brandy and plugs of free tobacco from Kipling ('twelve pounds of the hideous mixture of cow dung and dried grass they delight in') to encourage the 'forty odd men besides binders to keep Quartette going' ". Joints showing slight splitting though firm and sound, some wear at spine-ends, front endpapers replaced and with old tape-repair to first endpaper and minor loss to foot of gutter of second, endpapers tanned, textblock Good.

First Indian edition. 4to. Original decorative paper wrappers, housed in a half red morocco clamshell box with gilt title to spine. Lahore, The "Civil and Military Gazette" Press. First edition of this collection of short stories and poems composed by the Kipling family. The work includes the first appearance of Rudyard Kipling's "The Phantom 'Rickshaw" and "The Strange Ride of Marrowbie Jukes, C.E." Published in an edition of 250 copies.  A good copy. Former owner's inscription to front wrapper. Wrappers quite extensively but skilfully restored and showing some wear, original back wrap lacking, replaced with a blank. Also lacking the final 2pp. advertisements on yellow paper at rear, though, as noted by the bibliographer, the adverts were not integral and it is normal to find copies with a differing number of adverts, including some with none at all. Small tear at fore-edge throughout, not affecting text, and crease down the middle of the text block until about half-way through. Richards A4.

First Edition. One of Rudyard Kipling's Earliest Publications Containing the First Appearance of "The Phantom Rickshaw" KIPLING, Rudyard. 1885 Quartette. The Christmas Annual of the Civil & Military Gazette by Four Anglo-Indian Writers. Lahore: The "Civil and Military Gazette Press, 1885. First Edition. Tall octavo (9 5/8 x 5 3/4 inches; 245 x 146 mm.). [2, blank], [2, title printed in red and black, verso blank], [2, Contents, verso blank], [1]-125, [1, blank], seven leaves of advertisements: 2 pink, 2 gray, 3 thinner cream-colored). Handsomely bound by C. Fox of London (ca. 1885) with their stamp on verso of free endpaper. Full green morocco, covers decoratively bordered in gilt. Spine with five shallow raised bands, decoratively ruled and lettered in gilt in compartments, gilt ruled board edges, decorative gilt turn-ins, marbled endpapers. Armorial bookplate "Think and Thank" on front pastedown. Original front and rear printed wrappers bound in. Front wrapper with design by the Mayo School of Art, Lahore, with early ink signature "L.C. Ibbetson?" on top blank margin. This is a complete copy of the first edition, first impression of a book authored by members of the Kipling family. Published in a limited run of 250 copies, it was bound around the time of publication and it is particularly rare to have its original wrappers and advertisements at the end. The book marks the first appearance of The Phantom 'Rickshaw and The Strange Ride of Morrowbie Jukes, C.E. Rudyard Kipling later described the origins of this work in his 1937 autobiography, Something of Myself, recalling that "in the cold weather of [18]85 we four made up a Christmas annual, which pleased us a good deal and attracted a certain amount of attention. (Later, much later, it became a 'collector's piece' in the US book-market, and to that extent smudged the memories of its birth)." The collection consists of 16 pieces-eight in prose and eight in verse-written by "four Anglo-Indian writers," as stated on the title page. The authors, who remained anonymous throughout, were Kipling himself, his father, mother, and sister. Kipling took the initiative to publish the book through the Civil and Military Gazette, selling it by subscription. At just 19 years old, he contributed half of the content, using this opportunity to bring his work into print. His ghost stories gained wider recognition when they were later reprinted in The Phantom 'Rickshaw and Other Tales (1890). Kipling's father, however, was somewhat reluctant about the publication. He wrote to Margaret Burne-Jones, expressing his hope that someone would "rap [Rudyard's] knuckles for the unwholesomeness of The Phantom 'Rickshaw and the coarseness of The Tragedy of Teeth." The book's binding process was notably chaotic. Kipling recalled that the work took place at night by candlelight, with workers on overtime incentivized with brandy and free tobacco to keep production moving. Over forty men, including binders, were involved in assembling Quartette. The publication was officially announced on 19 December, and its cover design is believed to have been created by Kipling's father, John Lockwood Kipling, who was then the first principal of the Mayo School of Art in Lahore. Livingston 5; Stewart 7.

First edition, first impression, of the book written by members of the Kipling family. Published in an edition of 250 copies, it is rare in original wrappers and with advertisements at the end. The book includes the first appearance of "The Phantom 'Rickshaw'" and "The Strange Ride of Morrowbie Jukes, C. E.". Kipling described the conception of this work in his autobiography, Something of Myself (1937). He noted that "in the cold weather of [18]85 we four made up a Christmas annual. which pleased us a good deal and attracted a certain amount of attention. (Later, much later, it became a 'collector's piece' in the US book-market, and to that extent smudged the memories of its birth)". The 16 pieces, comprising eight in prose and eight in verse, were written by "four Anglo-Indian writers" (as described on the title page and remaining anonymous throughout the book) who were Kipling, his father, mother, and sister. Kipling had initiated the publication with the Civil and Military Gazette and it was sold by subscription. This slim volume gave the 19 year old writer an opportunity to publish his work and he contributed half of the texts. The ghost stories would become better-known and were reprinted within The Phantom 'Rickshaw and other tales in 1890. Kipling's father had been somewhat against publication of Quartette and wrote to Margaret Burne-Jones that he had hoped that someone would "rap [Rudyard's] knuckles for the unwholesomeness of 'The Phantom 'Rickshaw' and the coarseness of the 'Tragedy of Teeth'". The binding of the publication was particularly chaotic. According to Kipling, the work took place at night by candlelight and he provided workers on overtime with tots of brandy and plugs of free tobacco to encourage the "forty odd men besides binders to keep Quartette going". Publication was announced on 19 December and the front cover was possibly designed by John Lockwood Kipling, then serving as the first principal of the Mayo School of Art in Lahore. Richards notes that the advertisements "sometimes vary in number". He states "copies are known with only three leaves, or four leaves or six or even eight, with a blank final yellow leaf, instead of the more standard seven. Copies were also bound without advertisements (at Kipling's direction for family members). In some copies the last of the seven leaves of advertisements is pink rather than pale yellow". Additionally "the rear endsheet has been excised from some copies. with the stub pasted to the terminal leaf of advertisements". The present copy carries seven leaves of which the final leaf is pink. Martindell 4; Livingston 5; Stewart 7; Ballard VII; Grolier 18; Richards A4. Octavo. Original wrappers, printed in black. Housed in a red cloth chemise with a red morocco-backed slipcase. Ownership signature on front wrapper. Loss to most of spine, minor chip at top right corner of front wrapper, some slight rust-staining; a very good copy and a particularly attractive example.

Leather Bound. Condition: New. Language: English. Language: English. Presenting an Exquisite Leather-Bound Edition, expertly crafted with Original Natural Leather that gracefully adorns the spine and corners. The allure continues with Golden Leaf Printing that adds a touch of elegance, while Hand Embossing on the rounded spine lends an artistic flair. This masterpiece has been meticulously reprinted in 2025, utilizing the invaluable guidance of the original edition published many years ago in 1885. The contents of this book are presented in classic black and white. Its durability is ensured through a meticulous sewing binding technique, enhancing its longevity. Imprinted on top-tier quality paper. A team of professionals has expertly processed each page, delicately preserving its content without alteration. Due to the vintage nature of these books, every page has been manually restored for legibility. However, in certain instances, occasional blurriness, missing segments, or faint black spots might persist. We sincerely hope for your understanding of the challenges we faced with these books. Recognizing their significance for readers seeking insight into our historical treasure, we've diligently restored and reissued them. Our intention is to offer this valuable resource once again. We eagerly await your feedback, hoping that you'll find it appealing and will generously share your thoughts and recommendations. Lang: - English, Pages:- 156, Print on Demand. If it is a multi-volume set, then it is only a single volume. We are specialised in Customisation of books, if you wish to opt different color leather binding, you may contact us. This service is chargeable. Product Disclaimer: Kindly be informed that, owing to the inherent nature of leather as a natural material, minor discolorations or textural variations may be perceptible. Explore the FOLIO EDITION (12x19 Inches): Available Upon Request. 156 156.