ONE OF RACKHAM'S MOST SOUGHT-AFTER TITLES: HIS ILLUSTRATED MOTHER GOOSE, SIGNED BY HIM

RACKHAM, Arthur. Mother Goose. The Old Nursery Rhymes. London: William Heinemann, (1913). Quarto, original pictorial white cloth, top edge gilt, uncut. Housed in a custom half morocco slipcase. $6200.

Signed limited edition, number 772 of 1130 copies signed by Rackham, with 13 splendid color plates mounted on brown stock and 85 in-text line cuts.

Rackham's beloved Mother Goose includes "Jack Sprat," "Little Miss Muffett," "Jack and Jill," "Little Bo Peep," "The House that Jack Built" and many other rhymes; in the introduction, he says "I think most of the best known are here. I have chosen those I knew and liked best in my own nursery days." In addition to choosing the texts himself, he personalized the artwork—several illustrations feature self-caricatures, and Jack's house is based on the artist's own Chalcot Gardens home. Inked gift inscription dated "Xmas 1913." Latimore & Haskell, 40-41. Riall, 115.

Minor foxing to endpapers, contents clean and bright; slight signs of wear to cloth and a bit of faint toning to spine. A beautiful copy.