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The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis, First US Edition in DJ
About the Item
Lewis, C. S. The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe. New York: The Macmillan Company, 1950. First U.S. edition. Octavo. In the original publisher's blue cloth boards and illustrated dust jacket.
This is the first American edition of C. S. Lewis’ classic fantasy tale, The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe. This American first printing was published by The Macmillan Company in 1950, just a few months after the British first edition. The book is presented in the original publisher’s blue cloth hardcover boards, stamped with a blue and yellow deer illustration on the front, and the original illustrated dust jacket. Inside, the book is decorated with charming illustrations by Pauline Bayes.
The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe was the first book published in C.S. Lewis’ hugely successful children’s fantasy series, The Chronicles of Narnia, but is now considered second in the sequence of seven novels. In the book, four children are evacuated to the English countryside during the German Blitz and discover the magical land of Narnia through an old wardrobe. Through several visits, the children find themselves adventuring to save Narnia and themselves from the evils of The White Witch.
The framework of story was inspired by Lewis' own experiences hosting three children at his country Risinghurst home during the 1939 London bombings. His development of the world of Narnia began overtime; first with a picture of a Faun carrying an umbrella and parcels in a snowy wood. And while he played with the idea of a children's book for sometime, it was not until 1949 when Lewis created the character of Aslin that began writing the story in earnest. "At first I had very little idea how the story would go. But then suddenly Aslan came bounding into it. I think I had been having a good many dreams of lions about that time. Apart from that, I don't know where the Lion came from or why he came. But once he was there, he pulled the whole story together, and soon he pulled the six other Narnian stories in after him."
The manuscript of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe was completed by March of 1949. By the time the first edition was published in London on October 16, 1950, Lewis had already written three new "chronicles" of the story, Prince Caspian, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, and The Horse and His Boy.
Since their initial publication, The Chronicles of Narnia have sold more than 100 million copies and are beloved by readers all over the world. According to TIME Magazine, this story is considered one of the All-Time 100 Novels, and continues to be widely read and collected.
CONDITION:
Good condition. Octavo, hardcover. Original blue cloth boards with embossed blue and yellow small deer illustration on the front board. The binding is tight with no leaning and the boards are crisp. The book has wear from gentle reading, with some darkening to the top quarter boards. The price-clipped blue dust jacket is bright, with some chipping and tears, primarily on the rear. One tape-repaired tear. Inside, the book is generally clean, with a gifted pen inscription on front flyleaf that reads "Ricky, From Mummy and Daddy, October 4 1952." 154pp.
Dimensions: 8 5/16" H x 5 10/16" x 11/16" D.
- Dimensions:Height: 8.32 in (21.14 cm)Width: 0.69 in (1.76 cm)Depth: 5.63 in (14.31 cm)
- Style:Mid-Century Modern (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1950
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use. Minor losses. Minor fading.
- Seller Location:Colorado Springs, CO
- Reference Number:
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