1904 First Edition - In the Closed Room illustrated by Jessie Willcox Smith
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Author: Frances Hodgson Burnett. Illustrated by Jessie Willcox Smith.
Title: In the Closed Room.
Publisher: New York, McClure, Phillips & Co., 1904. First Edition.
Language: Text in English.
Size: 8.5" X 6".
Pages: 129 pages.
Binding: Very good original, beautiful light green cloth binding with gilt-stamped Art Nouveau floral design on the front cover and spine (hinges fine, overall slightly worn and scuffed - as shown) under a protective removable mylar cover. Upper edge gilt.
Content: Very good content (bright, tight and clean - as shown).
Illustrations: Complete with eight exquisite full-page color illustrations by Jessie Willcox Smith. These illustrations glow with her characteristic soft, dreamlike charm and are beautifully preserved.
Estimate: (USD 150–250).
The book: A rare first edition of Frances Hodgson Burnett’s haunting and lesser-known novella, In the Closed Room, blending elements of childhood innocence, spiritualism, and ghostly mystery. Known primarily for her beloved classics like Little Lord Fauntleroy and The Secret Garden, Burnett here crafts a sensitive, psychologically rich story about a lonely little girl who forms a strange friendship with a girl who may or may not exist. This 1904 edition, graced with Jessie Willcox Smith’s delicate and evocative illustrations, is a treasured collectible in early 20th-century children’s literature and book illustration.
The author: Frances Hodgson Burnett (1849–1924) was an acclaimed English-American novelist and playwright, best remembered for her enduring children’s classics, including Little Lord Fauntleroy, A Little Princess, and The Secret Garden. Her works explore themes of transformation, class, resilience, and the inner emotional world of children, leaving a lasting legacy in both children’s and adult literature.
The illustrator: Jessie Willcox Smith (1863–1935) was one of the most celebrated American illustrators of the Golden Age of Illustration. Renowned for her tender and emotionally resonant depictions of children, she created iconic images for classics such as Charles Kingsley’s The Water-Babies and Robert Louis Stevenson’s A Child’s Garden of Verses. Her work for In the Closed Room exemplifies her soft, luminous palette and exceptional ability to capture the emotional depth of childhood.