About this Item
The limited Edition published by Walker Books, London in 1988. Large 4to., bound in full navy cloth with inlaid label featuring an illustration by Maurice Sendak to the front board; backstrip lettered in gilt; in the matching publisher's slipcase, replicating the cover design, with an additional label replicating the title vignette; profusely illustrated throughout with designs in full colour by numerous contributors; The BOOK ever-so-slightly touched by sun at the backstrip, else in near Fine condition ; the slipcase with a few light scratches and marks. The Limited edition with this copy being 'No. 48' of only 100 copies issued. This copy is from the personal library of the illustrator Fritz Wegner. Signed by 10 of the 60 illustrators, many of whom provide an additional inscription (most of which are addressed to Fritz Wegner), including Helen Oxenbury, Nicola Bayley, Michael Foreman, Sarah Midda, Shirley Hughes, Chris Riddell, Colin West, Maureen Roffey, Patrick J. Lynch and Norman Johnson. Additionally signed by Sebastian Walker, founder of Walker Books, and Iona Opie, the editor, who also provides the introduction. This copy also comes with the 'Fritzschrift' booklet: a 90th birthday tribute to Fritz Wegner, published by the Double Crown Club in 2014. A wonderful compendium of rhymes, poems, songs and lullabies which "tell a story, they act as instant spells". Subtitled 'the Opie Rhyme Book', the verses have been taken directly from the Opie Archive, and Iona Opie herself has compiled the book together. The Opie Collection of Children's Literature at the time numbered some 800 children's books published before 1800, including those previously belonging to Queen Victoria as a child, as well as Kenneth Grahame's own copy of 'The Wind in the Willows', inscribed to his son Alistair. Opie writes that she hopes the collection will go "to the Bodleian Library in Oxford' and this book was published in aid of an appeal to finance that purchase. Pleasingly, the collection is now indeed held in their archives, and under their nurture it now numbers some 20,000 children's titles printed between the 16th and 20th centuries, as well as the working papers of Iona and Peter Opie. Many of the verses appearing here were sourced through early Children's books, or contributed from scholars. "One was overheard in an American bus" Opie writes in her introduction, "another in a Dublin street. Rhymes like these are the common heritage of the British and American people". Illustrators here include Helen Craig (of 'Angelina Ballerina' fame), Quentin Blake, John Burningham, Anthony Browne ('Gorilla') and Fritz Wegner, among others. The accompanying booklet celebrates the latter's 90th birthday, with a biography of the illustrator's life, along with reminiscences from his contemporaries. A uniquely signed copy of this very limited historic publication. More images available on request. Ashton Rare Books welcomes direct contact.
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