First Smith-illustrated edition of the pivotal fantasy by "C.S. Lewis's chief mentor" (Sadler) — with gorgeous color plates by the one of the great women of the Golden Age of Illustration.
Very good.
Price: $150.00
"[T]he Victorian masterpiece of dream-world fantasy." – Glenn E. Sadler
Jessie Willcox Smith was one of the most successful artists of her day, her art appearing in numerous children's books as well as on the covers of periodicals such as GOOD HOUSEKEEPING.
MacDonald was a central figure in cohering what would become the modern children's fantasy genre: besides his role in pushing Carroll to publish ALICE'S ADVENTURES IN WONDERLAND, MacDonald's own work would go on to influence 20th-century giants like C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien. Lewis was unabashedly enamored of his work, and his influence on Narnia is well documented. Tolkien's views were more complex, but scholarship has demonstrated he was "very much indebted to and influenced by MacDonald" (Fisher). AT THE BACK OF THE NORTH WIND combines the real world of a working-class child, in a distinctly Dickensian manner, with the magic and wonder of a fantastical adventure: a formula that deeply influenced the path of children's literature.
Read more: Nudelman, Jessie Willcox Smith: A Bibliography, A53; Sadler "At the Back of the North Wind: George MacDonald: A Centennial Appreciation," in The Tolkien Journal Vol. 4 No 1; Fisher, "Reluctantly Inspired: George MacDonald and J.R.R. Tolkien."
Philadelphia: David McKay, 1919. Original tan cloth, gilt-stamped spine and gilt border to front board (ref. Nudelman), pictorial paste-on. Top edge gilt; color pictorial endpapers. Illustrated by Smith with 8 full-page color plates plus illustrated title page. 342 pages. Pencil gift inscription to front endpaper; small newspaper clipping on Smith tipped onto verso of front pastedown, with offsetting to facing page. Boards with some rubbing and soil, light edgewear. Joints firm.
We work hard to meet our ethical responsibility to describe our material accurately. All items are guaranteed as described and may be returned for any reason within 30 days. Please notify us before mailing a return.
We guarantee the authenticity of our items. All materials are original (meaning not facsimiles or reproductions) unless otherwise noted. First editions (meaning first edition, first printing) are explicitly stated. TPM is a member of the Antiquarian Booksellers Association of America and upholds their Code of Ethics.
All photographs are of the actual item for sale. We're happy to provide additional images on request.
All domestic orders ship gratis. For orders under $250, free USPS media mail shipping is included; orders $250 and over ship USPS Ground Advantage. International orders over $1000 also ship gratis. Expedited, overnight, as well as other carriers (UPS, Fed-Ex, etc.), may carry additional costs beyond quoted rates. All orders receive tracking information and a direct contact in case of any questions.
International buyers are responsible for any customs, taxes, and related import fees. Please note that we are unable to accomodate requests to misrepresent, misdeclare, or otherwise falsify customs documents when shipping internationally. We appreciate your understanding.
We accept all major credit cards, Paypal, Venmo, check, money order, and bank wire. We are happy to bill institutional buyers' needs. Sales tax will be added to applicable purchases. Items subject to prior sale.
If for any reason you are dissatisfied with your purchase, please contact us. We prioritize our long-term relationships far above any individual purchase, and we want you to love your item as much as we loved cataloguing it.
Type Punch Matrix is a Washington D.C.-area rare book firm founded by Rebecca Romney and Brian Cassidy.
Read more about TPM.
