The Wind in the Willows

INSCRIBED TO ELTON JOHN AND HIS HUSBAND DAVID FURNISH

GRAHAME, Kenneth; Charles VAN SANDWYK, [Illus.]

The Wind in the Willows 

London: The Folio Society, 2010 

8vo., dark green cloth boards, prettily and elaborately blocked in gilt to upper board and spine with reeds and dragonflies; onlaid engraved paper label of Ratty and Mole by an open fire (entitled ‘Fireside Chat’), printed in brown on cream paper; decorative brown endpapers showing the countryside and Badger reclining next to a ‘Pan Island’ marker; pp. [x], 3-251, [v]; with title printed in green and black; copiously proliferated throughout with full-page colour frontis showing Ratty with a picnic basket; 22 full-page illustrations, 11 inset, and numerous other uncoloured head and tail pieces; aside from one small water mark to the lower board a fine copy in the original publisher’s slipcase, decorated in brown with reeds, butterflies and birds nests.  

Seventh printing, five years after the first, with the text following the original 1908 first edition of Grahame’s classic children’s book. Typeset in Founders Caslon and printed on Modigliani Paper in Italy. This copy inscribed by Charles van Sandwyk to the singer, songwriter and pianist Elton John and his husband David: “To Dear Elton and David, / We hope you enjoy reading this / to your two dear boys, / With kind regards from / Mr. Toad, Ratty and Mole, / and their faithful illustrator / Charles van Sandwyk / London, / September 19th / 2013.” 

The story of The Wind in the Willows was first told in parts by Grahame to his son Alistair (nicknamed ‘Mouse’ by his parents). Often plagued with health problems, Grahame would make up bedtime stories for the boy, revolving around the character of a toad, and when Grahame traveled on solo boating holidays abroad, he would write them down, and post them back to his family at home. Although the completed work was rejected by several publishers and eventually appeared to negative reviews, the tale of Mole, Ratty, Badger and the troublesome Toad was immediately loved by the public, and is still one of the most popular children’s works today, frequently told to a new generation of children who can delight in their riverbank antics.  

This particular edition is all the more elevated with the pairing of Charles van Sandwyk’s evocative and charming illustrations, which show the characters, among other exploits, swimming (‘Please refrain from tickling the ducks’); picnicking; motor racing; and walking arm-in-arm down snowy streets. It was much praised, upon initial release in 2005, by the author Michael Morpurgo who wrote that: “In almost 100 years since its first publication, I doubt there has been a finer edition.” The book also won the Grand Prix Award at the Printing World Awards.

A fascinating association copy.