The Princess and the Pea, Hans Christian Andersen (Retold by Helen Mary Petter)

£110.00

The Princess and the Pea, Hans Christian Andersen (Retold by Helen Mary Petter)

Name: The Princess and the Pea, Hans Christian Andersen (Retold by Helen Mary Petter)
Brand: Broadhursts Books
SKU: 4743
Price: 110.00 GBP
Availability: InStock

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The Princess and the Pea, Hans Christian Andersen (Retold by Helen Mary Petter) — First Edition

Publication: London and Glasgow, Collins, 1944

Formatting: Small 4to, pp. 35.

Condition Report: Very Good. The original dust jacket remains remarkably bright, exhibiting only minor shelf-wear to the extremities with slight rubbing and shallow creasing along the top edges, free of any significant chipping or tearing. Beneath the jacket, the publisher's green paper-covered boards are exceptionally fresh, displaying unblemished, vibrant white decorative stamping with tight, unbumped corners. The binding is entirely firm and square. Internally, the pages are crisp, clean, and unbrowned, retaining the full lustre of the original colour photography. Aside from a neat, contemporary gift inscription in ink on the front free endpaper, the contents are wonderfully preserved and completely free of foxing or reading wear.

Catalogue Note: First Edition. A uniquely produced wartime publication, this edition reimagines Hans Christian Andersen’s classic tale through the pioneering set design of Natasha Kroll, who would later become a celebrated window display artist and BAFTA-winning production designer. Rather than utilising traditional two-dimensional illustrations, the narrative is brought to life through intricate physical dioramas and meticulously styled figures created by Kroll, captured in stunning natural colour photography by Zoltan Wegner.

Produced by Adprint Limited under strict wartime economy standards, this volume forms part of a short-lived but highly innovative wave of mid-century British children's books that experimented with full-colour photographic plates. It is notably scarce on the open market, particularly in such a well-preserved state with its fragile original dust jacket intact.

A prince travels the world in search of a true princess, only to find his answer on a stormy night when a bedraggled young woman knocks at the castle door. To test her royal lineage, the Queen secretly places a single pea beneath twenty mattresses and twenty featherbeds. This 1944 retelling of Hans Christian Andersen's timeless fairy tale offers a magical and slightly surreal visual experience, uniquely illustrated through exquisite, handcrafted dolls and miniature theatrical sets photographed in vibrant full colour.

Book Condition: Very Good

Book Authors: Hans Christian Andersen, Helen Mary Petter

Book Publisher: Collins

Book Language: English

Narrative Type: Fiction

Genre: Children's Fiction & True Stories

Book edition: First Edition

Signed: No

Book Pages: 35

Book Publication Year: 1944

Book Publication Date:

Book Binding: Hardcover

Illustrator: Natasha Kroll, Zoltan Wegner

Book Series: Hans Andersen Fairy Tales

Country/region of manufacture: Norwich, 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.