When We Were Very Young by A.A. Milne, with decorations by Ernest H. Shepard

Description

A cornerstone of children’s literature, When We Were Very Young (1924) was A.A. Milne’s first collaboration with illustrator Ernest H. Shepard, and the debut of the character who would become Winnie-the-Pooh. This early American edition features Shepard’s classic line drawings throughout, including the iconic portrait of Christopher Robin tipped in at front. The whimsical poems—light, rhythmic, and gently surreal—perfectly capture childhood’s fleeting moods and fancies.

This copy bears the hallmarks of a well-loved children’s book: worn pictorial boards, fraying at the spine ends, and closed tear on the ffep. The binding is still sound, and the internal pages—while showing scattered foxing on endpapers—remain readable and charming. A period bookplate — even with its closed tears — adds a touch of provenance and that good feeling only an old book can provide.

Not the collector-grade first edition in jacket  (which would be considerably more), but a highly displayable and original piece of literary and visual history and a great start for the start of a children’s book collection. How’s that for a sale’s pitch?