Item #21252 Babar the King. Jean de Brunhoff.
/JdeB, illustrator.

Babar the King.

New York: Random House, [1941], probably the first printing reproduced in this reduced $1 format, but this is neither the 1st US nor the 1st Random House: (1937 1st Random House, 1935 1st US Smith and Haas, 1933 le Roi Babar Jardin des Modes.) The NYT and PW mention this format as "latest" in Dec 1940 & 1941; yellow paper boards, green endpapers with tiny elephant chain, in familiar yellow jacket with ad for full sized Zephir's Holidays on back and no mention of the Masha books on the back flap, just a sales pitch for the $1 versions; 6.5x8.4."; 49 pp. Picture book hardback Babar.

As the foundation of their children's division, Random House purchased the first three American editions of the Babar books from Smith and Haas in 1936, and republished them as "Big Books" about 10.5x14.5" However, the $3 price and the large size apparently did not sell as well as expected, so the books were also reproduced in a $1 smaller 6.5x8.5 format. Described as a "handy size", this book is unpleasantly cramped and not successful as a picture book, but an interesting example for the collector.

CONDITION: Very Good Plus in Very Good jacket; no names or other marks, straight and very clean as to boards, spine back, and pages but joints are foxed, in lightly toned and darkened jacket with 3/8" bottom margin chip taped in and similar pull tear, light wear across top and to extrems (to about 1/8") unclipped $1. Item #21252

Price: $100.00

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