"THEY WENT HOME AND BROKE THEIR BREAD, BRUSHED THEIR TEETH AND WENT TO BED": FIRST EDITION OF MADELINE

BEMELMANS, Ludwig. Madeline. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1939. Slim folio, original pictorial boards and endpapers, original dust jacket. $3800.

First edition, first issue, of the first book about the irrepressible Madeline.

"The original inspiration for Madeline was the convent where Bemelmans' mother was educated as a child, along with the author's own experience in boarding school, where he walked with his classmates in two straight lines" (Silvey, 55). First issue, with 12 girls instead of 11 in the "They went home and broke their bread" illustration. Pomerance A24a. Contemporary ink gift inscription.

Book bright and about-fine with only minuscule rub to spine head, dust jacket bright and extremely good with minor edgewear and closed split along front joint fold. A very nice copy. Scarce.