signed and wiith the rare dust-jacket

The first edition of The Wind in the Willows to be illustrated by Ernest Shepard, the only illustrated edition that Kenneth Grahame approved, signed by both author and artist. A rare book, especially in the original dust-jacket and in highly collectable condition.

The Wind in the Willows has also been the subject of banning in schools whose teachers felt Toad represented a bad example for children. His careless, irresponsible behaviour might inspire kids to emulate him.

Limited edition, ONE OF 200 NUMBERED COPIES SIGNED BY BOTH THE AUTHOR & ILLUSTRATOR, un-numbered presentation copy 'This is a presentation copy for A. Boon Esq.'; 4to (240 x 190 mm); printed on hand-made paper, illustrated throughout by E.H. Shepard and with fold out map of Toad Hall and its vicinity to the rear; publisher's green cloth-backed boards with cream paper label to spine printed in black, original plain dust-jacket lettered in dark blue, boards with some minor shelf-wear, jacket spine darkened, chips to head and tail of spine and to one corner, some toning and stray abrasions, otherwise a very good copy overall and internally near-fine; housed in a custom made green cloth solander box with pictorial gilt illustration to front cover reproducing W. Graham Robertson's fine original front cover illustration for The Wind in the Willows, depicting Ratty and Mole bowing to Pan, the Greek god of nature and the wild, gilt titled beneath, gilt titled to spine. 312 pp.