[Children's & Illustrated] Potter, Beatrix. The Fairy Caravan

Philadelphia: David McKay Company, (1929). First and limited edition, #14 of only 100 printed copies, signed by Potter on colophon. 4to. 225 pp. Illustrated with color frontispiece, five color plates, and numerous black and white plates. Publisher's green cloth, pictorial color cover label, spine lettered in gilt, soiling on rear board; all edges trimmed; book-plate of Victoria Thorn on front paste-down; old catalogue description mounted to verso of frontispiece; bottom corners of text block bumped; without dust-jacket.

Rare first and limited edition, one of only 100 copies printed and not intended for sale, and published to reserve copyright; issued simultaneously with the first trade edition. Potter did not wish to publish this work in England, as she felt the work was "too personal – too autobiographical" (Linder), but due to reciprocal copyright arrangements between the U.S. and Great Britain, publication in one country resulted in the relinquishment of copyright in the other. In order to avoid this, Potter had McKay, the Philadelphia publisher, give her 100 sets of sheets from this edition, and had a local publisher alter the first gathering.

A near-fine copy.