The Tale of Peter Rabbit: Rare Book of the Week

This week's Rare Book of the Week is the first privately printed edition of The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter which comes up for auction at Dominic Winter on October 2 with an estimate of £40,000-£60,000.

It is one of only 250 copies of the fist issue printed (London, Strangeways, December, 1901), with a colour frontispiece, and 41 woodblock engravings from the author's line drawings, and the flat rather than rounded spine.

The only copies which have survived in similar near mint condition probably came from a small supply discovered at Beatrix Potter's home Castle Cottage after she died. Six or seven mint copies were sold by Beatrix Potter's niece to an agent who then sold them on again.

Potter sent the story to half a dozen publishers In 1900, including her eventual publisher Frederick Warne, and it was rejected by all of them. Undeterred by Warne's suggested that it be turned into a smarter format, she paid to have her book privately printed, and the 250 copies were published at 1/2d each. Sales were so good she paid for a slightly amended edition the following year before giving Warne the opportunity to publish it commercially. It has remained in print ever since.