DODGSON, Charles Lutwidge (“Lewis Carroll”) (1832-1898). Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. London: Macmillan and Co., 1868.
8vo (191 x 122 mm). Half-title, 42 illustrations by John Tenniel. (Marginal soiling, a few short closed tears to an occasional leaf.) Original red pictorial cloth stamped in gilt, all edges gilt, binders' ticket on rear pastedown (rebacked, preserving original spine and endpapers, extremities darkened, fore-corners rubbed); folding case. Provenance: John Proctor (1836-1914), British artist and illustrator (author's inscription); Sotheby's, London, 11 March 1941, lot 392.
Later printing ("thirteenth thousand"). PRESENTATION COPY, INSCRIBED BY CARROLL TO JOHN PROCTOR in the year of publication on half-title: "John Proctor, Esq., from the Author, Oct. 1868." Proctor was a political cartoonist working for Judy and later Fun. Proctor was purportedly approached by Dodgson sometime in June of 1868 to illustrate Through the Looking Glass after Tenniel's initial refusal (see Williams-Madan-Green-Crutch, p.66). In a letter now at the Dodgson Family Archives, Proctor writes to Carroll, turning down the offer to illustrate the book.
This lot is located in Chicago.
