The Nine Lives of Crusoe: His Second Life, Margaret Alleyne — 1st Edition
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Publication: London, Herbert Joseph Limited, c. 1949
Formatting: 12mo, pp. 48.
Condition Report Very Good. The binding remains firm, square, and structurally sound, showing no signs of leaning or looseness. Internally, the text block is pleasingly clean, with the pages remaining bright and largely free from the foxing that often plagues publications of this era, save for a touch of mild age-toning to the margins. The original pictorial dust-wrapper, however, exhibits moderate shelf-wear, bearing a few small closed tears, slight rubbing, and minor chipping at the spine extremities and corners. The rear panel of the jacket shows light marks and browning, while the front inner flap has been price-clipped. Despite these exterior flaws, the book stands as a highly presentable and charming copy.
Catalogue Note This is a delightful and visually engaging mid-century children's title, presenting the second instalment of Crusoe's adventures. Based on the publisher's imprint and the complete absence of any subsequent printing history, this volume can be confidently catalogued as a true first edition, first printing.
The text is charmingly elevated by the vibrant, anthropomorphic colour illustrations of Jenetta Vise, who captures the whimsical, Edwardian-inspired feline world with wonderful character and detail. Individual titles from this series are relatively uncommon on the open market, and finding a surviving copy that retains its original dust-wrapper, albeit with some wear, adds notable appeal for collectors of post-war British children's literature.
Follow the captivating adventures of Crusoe the cat in His Second Life, a delightful instalment in Margaret Alleyne’s beloved mid-century series. In a world where felines are secretly little people adorned in charming attire, Crusoe finds himself tumbling into a series of amusing and perilous escapades that test the very limits of his legendary nine lives. Brought beautifully to life by Jenetta Vise’s enchanting colour illustrations, this heartwarming tale offers a timeless glimpse into a whimsical, anthropomorphic world, making it a perfect addition to any vintage nursery or children's book collection.
Book Condition: Very Good
Book Authors: Margaret Alleyne
Book Publisher: Herbert Joseph Limited
Book Language: English
Narrative Type: Children's
Genre: Children's Fiction & True Stories
Book edition: First Edition
Signed: No
Book Pages:
Book Publication Year: 1949
Book Publication Date:
Book Binding: Hardcover with Dust-Wrapper
Illustrator: Jenetta Vise
Book Series: The Nine Lives of Crusoe
Country/region of manufacture: London, United Kingdom
Book Dimensions:
Book Condition Guide
| 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. |
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