The Bobtail Puppy Book. (Bob-tail)
London: Humphrey Milford, no date [1914] early reprint; tan paper boards with tan cloth spine, red titles, large hairy puppy trotting along in the wind; 8.5x9.25", np. Picture book hardback.
An introduction by the Puppy reveals his unease about his docked tail. In the following 11 "chapters", The Lambkin Laughs, The Cat Laughs, all his friends tease him, too. Each "chapter" contains a half title with a drawing, opening to a coloured painting of Puppy and his friend in greys, reds, dark browns, and yellow ochres, with black outlines on grey paper, the puppy's poem facing. In the last chapter, the Bob-Tail Puppy decides to solve the teasing by sitting down. Wonderful illustrations of this funny grey and white puppy, who seems to be an Old English Sheepdog. The illustrations are frequently reproduced. Due to the complexities of publishing imprints, Henry Frowde's children's books became Humphrey Milford's in the late teens, so this is a later printing rather than a reprint house printing. Heavy, original dimensions, with very nice colour quality. A scarce Aldin Puppy title. An Old English Sheepdog?
CONDITION: Very Good; small Sept. 18, 1925 gift inscription on title page margin, and, almost invisibly, on charcoal green endpapers; three corner tips lightly worn to card, fourth corner for about a half inch, clean, flat pages. Item #20359
Price: $285.00