1897 Rare Book - Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
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Author: Lewis Carroll.
Title: Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.
Publisher: Philadelphia, Henry Altemus Company, no date (circa 1897).
Language: Text in English.
Size: 6.5 x 5.5 inches.
Pages: 160 pages + publisher's catalog.
Binding: Attractive and very good, near fine original pictorial cloth binding with striking art nouveau-style cover design in green, red, and cream, depicting the Duchess and her baby; spine with red and black Art Nouveau floral pattern; rear board in plain cream cloth (hinges fine, overall slightly scuffed - as shown) under a protective removable mylar cover.
Content: Very good content (bright, tight and clean, rare light foxing - as shown).
Illustrations: With 42 illustrations (including 4 full-page color plates and numerous in-text black-and-white illustrations) after Sir John Tenniel and others, including a vibrant chromolithograph frontispiece.
Estimate: (USD 200–250).
The book: A charming turn-of-the-century American edition of Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, issued as part of the “Altemus’ Young People’s Library” series. While not the first American edition, this version—copyrighted 1897 by Henry Altemus—is highly sought after for its boldly stylized art nouveau binding and blend of black-and-white and color illustrations. A delightful collectible copy from a respected publisher of juvenile books in the late 19th century.
The author: Lewis Carroll was the pen name of Charles Lutwidge Dodgson (1832–1898), a British mathematician, logician, and author whose Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (1865) became a foundational text in children’s literature. Famed for his wit, logic puzzles, and enduring imagination, Carroll’s work transcends genre and continues to inspire readers of all ages.
The illustrations: While based on Tenniel’s originals, the illustrations in this edition are adapted by house artists under the direction of Henry Altemus Company. The color plates are particularly vivid, capturing the surreal and whimsical nature of Wonderland in late 19th-century American chromolithographic style.