1920 Beautiful Binding - Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens Illustrated by Rackham

Author: J. M. Barrie. Illustrated by Arthur Rackham.
Title: Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens.
Publisher: London, Hodder & Stoughton, circa 1920 (Early Edition, undated).
Language: Text in English.
Size: 8 x 6 inches.
Pages: 125 pages.
Binding: Attractive and fine binding, finely bound in full red decorative leather, with raised bands, gilt tooling, and gilt titling to spine. Front board features an exquisite inlaid and hand-coloured leather onlay illustration of the infant Peter, inspired by Rackham’s design (hinges fine - as shown) under a protective removable mylar cover. Housed in a fine matching custom red slipcase lined with the original cloth from the publisher’s binding mounted to the front panel. A very beautiful binding!
Content: Good content (bright, tight and clean, uniform age-toning, light foxing in places, and very small scattered spots as expected for this edition - as shown, plates are clean and well-preserved with protective tissue guards - as shown). Nice marbled endpapers in tones of red, black, and white
Illustrations: Complete with 16 full-colour tipped-in plates by Arthur Rackham, each with printed tissue guards. Includes numerous in-text black-and-white drawings. Rackham’s ethereal, dream-like style enhances the magical atmosphere of Barrie’s early vision of Peter Pan.

Estimate: (USD 900–1200).

The book: This beautifully produced early Edition of Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens represents one of the most iconic collaborations between J. M. Barrie and Arthur Rackham. First published in 1906 as part of Barrie’s larger Peter Pan mythology, this edition (circa 1920) preserves Rackham’s full suite of 16 colour plates—masterpieces of early 20th-century book illustration.

The early story of Peter Pan—before Wendy, Neverland, the Lost Boys, and Captain Hook—has a uniquely intimate, whimsical tone. Set entirely within London’s Kensington Gardens, it depicts Peter as an infant who escapes his nursery and discovers the magical world of fairies, birds, and mysterious nighttime creatures. Rackham’s illustrations, delicate and slightly otherworldly, remain among the most celebrated in children’s literature.

This copy is further elevated by its luxurious full-leather binding, featuring a hand-tooled onlay of Peter Pan playing his pipes atop a mushroom, making it both a collector’s piece and an object of exceptional craftsmanship.

The author: Sir James Matthew Barrie (1860–1937) was a Scottish novelist and playwright, most famous for creating Peter Pan. His visionary approach blended whimsy with themes of innocence, transformation, and the passage of time. Barrie's works have become foundational classics of children’s literature, with Peter Pan reaching iconic status through stage plays, novels, and countless adaptations.

The illustrator Arthur Rackham (1867–1939) was one of the greatest illustrators of the Golden Age of Illustration. Known for his atmospheric palettes, sinuously detailed linework, and ability to render both enchantment and mystery, Rackham’s interpretations of fairy tales and fantastical literature—including Peter Pan, Alice in Wonderland, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and The Brothers Grimm—remain definitive. His illustrations for Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens are consistently ranked among his finest achievements.