rare first UK edition of Pinocchio

The rare first UK edition of Collodi's classic for children, originally published in book-form in Florence, Italy in 1883. Previously serialised in a children's newspaper, Giornale per i bambini (1881-83) the work started out as La storia di un burattino, changed later to Le Avventure di Pinocchio. The author Lorenzini, a journalist & educationalist, took the name Collodi from his mother's native village in Tuscany.

Memorably translated into an animated musical fantasy by Walt Disney in 1940, their second feature film; now considered one of the greatest animated films ever made.

First edition in English, first issue with illustrator's name misprinted as 'C. Mazzanti'; 12mo; half-title and title printed in red & black, frontispiece (with tissue guard) and illustrations by Enrico Mazzanti, a few small marks to a couple of pages, contemporary gift inscription to half-title, overall internally very good, patterned endpapers; publisher's patterned cloth, slight toning to spine and top edge, very light small red stain to foot of lower cover near spine, but overall a good copy.

Osborne p.1007