"ONE OF THE EARLIEST COLLABORATIVE EFFORTS BETWEEN A WELL-KNOWN WRITER AND AN ACCOMPLISHED ILLUSTRATOR": FIRST EDITION OF THE STORY ABOUT PING

(WIESE, Kurt) FLACK, Marjorie. The Story about Ping. [New York]: Viking, 1933. Thin octavo, original half black cloth, pictorial boards, original dust jacket. $2000.

First edition of this beloved children's tale, beautifully illustrated with numerous zinc lithographs by Kurt Wiese, in scarce original dust jacket.

"Developmentally significant to American picture books, The Story about Ping was one of the earliest collaborative efforts between a well-known writer and an accomplished illustrator. This important change in the making of picture books took hold, flourished, and came to fruition years later during the Golden Age of children's book publishing" (Silvey, 679). Flack was a noted illustrator in her own right, but she asked Wiese to illustrate this work because he had lived in China. First-issue dust jacket, with $1.00 price on front flap and coupon for catalog printed on rear flap.

Book near-fine, unrestored dust jacket with shallow wear at spine ends and corners, light rubbing to spine and flap folds, very good.