Red Riding Hood, Traditional — 1st Edition, 1st Issue

£200.00

Red Riding Hood, Traditional — 1st Edition, 1st Issue

Name: Red Riding Hood, Traditional — 1st Edition, 1st Issue
Brand: Broadhursts Books
SKU: 4300
Price: 200.00 GBP
Availability: InStock

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£200.00

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Publication: London, F. Warne & Co., c. 1866

Formatting: 4to, pp. [8].

Condition Report Good. A remarkable survival of a fragile Victorian toy book, though bearing expected signs of its age and intended use. The original pictorial paper wrappers remain fully intact but exhibit moderate surface soiling, edge wear, and subtle creasing across the corners. The spine fold remains somewhat delicate, showing minor rubbing and rubbing-induced colour loss. Internally, the pages display significant offsetting from the colour plates onto the opposing blank versos, alongside scattered foxing and handling marks throughout the margins. Crucially, the binding remains secure, and the four vibrant colour plates themselves are bright, striking, and completely free of the juvenile scribbles or structural tears that typically plague children's softcover publications of this era.

Catalogue Note This exceptionally early production by F. Warne & Co. represents a highly desirable first issue, identifiable by the typographical error "BEDEORD ST." printed on the rear wrapper. Early print runs of these paper-bound children's books were frequently read to pieces in the nursery, making surviving first-issue copies with fully intact wrappers a genuine rarity on the open market.

The work is wonderfully illustrated with four full-page, vibrant colour plates, likely early chromolithographs or Kronheim oil colour prints, capturing the iconic moments of the tale. Unconventionally, the extended prose of the story is eschewed within the book block itself; instead, the narrative is condensed into a single elegant poem printed directly on the back cover, allowing the vibrant plates to take centre stage.

A vibrant and scarce Victorian reimagining of the classic fairy tale. This early toy book relies almost entirely on its striking, full-page colour illustrations to carry the narrative of Little Red Riding Hood's fateful journey through the woods. With the entire story condensed into an elegant poem on the back cover, this piece stands as a beautiful example of early mass-market children's publishing, designed specifically to capture the visual imagination of 19th-century youth.

Book Condition: Good

Book Authors: Traditional

Book Publisher: F. Warne & Co.

Book Language: English

Narrative Type: Antiquarian

Genre: Fantasy

Book edition: First Edition

Signed: No

Book Pages:

Book Publication Year: 1866

Book Publication Date:

Book Binding: Softcover (Pictorial Paper Wrappers)

Illustrator: N/A

Book Series: N/A

Country/region of manufacture: London, United Kingdom

Book Dimensions:

Book Condition Guide

We stock thousands of books in a wide range of conditions. To make things clear and to help you know exactly what to expect, Please refer to these condition categories to understand the condition of the book you will receive.

Condition	Description
New	A brand-new, unread and professionally handled book. Carefully preserved from publication to purchase, these books are offered in the best attainable condition. This grade applies to recently published titles that have not entered long-term storage.
As New	The book is in pristine, original condition as if just published. No signs of use or handling. The dust jacket (if present) is equally flawless. This grade applies to any book that has remained untouched in storage for years.
Fine	The book is close to As New. It remains bright and attractive, but could show minor imperfections to the boards and/or dust jacket (if present). Its pages are typically clean and unmarked.
Near Fine	The book has a number of small flaws, i.e. slight rubbing to the edges, or tiny chips or creases to the dust jacket (if present). Its pages may have faint marks, or creases that are barely perceptible — nothing that detracts from their overall condition.
Very Good	The book maintains its structural integrity, and has no major flaws such as tears to its binding or pages. It may, however, show signs of careful use, handling, or storage — small marks and creases, light foxing. Its dust jacket (if present) remains fully intact, but small tears may be present.
Good	A book that remains intact and readable with complete text pages, but shows moderate signs of wear and use to both the book and dust jacket (if present). It may have noticeable creases, nicks, or stains, and the spine likely shows fading, bumping, and rubbing. There could be writing, underlining, and other marks on some pages, though the majority will be clean and tidy.
Fair	A book with significant wear or damage. The text pages will be complete, but there may be heavy underlining, highlighting and staining throughout, and the book’s endpapers, half-title, and copyright pages could be damaged or missing. The binding could be loose, and the dust jacket (if present) may have notable scuffs or tears. These copies are usually of interest for content, signature(s) or scarcity.
Poor	A heavily worn book whose value lies in its complete and legible text. A poor book will have substantial defects — loose joints or hinges, detached covers, loose and/or missing pages, and could be heavily soiled. A poor book is also known as a reading copy, and although compromised, can hold historical or bibliographic significance.