(London: Chatto and Windus, 1932).

AN EARLY PRINTING AND A RARELY SEEN ISSUE OF THIS CLASSIC. Bannerman wrote her stories to entertain her own children. LITTLE BLACK SAMBO was their favorite. The author never intended the book for publication, but through the encouragement of her children and friends the manuscript was shown to E.V. Lucas who agreed to publish it as the fourth title in his series of ‘The Dumpy Books for Children’” (Schiller, p. 381)
Together with Beatrix Potter, Helen Bannerman established the genre of children’s books that gave pictures and text equal importance. Very few copies of the original printing have survived, and of the copies known, most have been badly worn because the small book was unable to withstand the constant handling of children. “Should a census eventually be attempted, there would probably be fewer copies located than of the notoriously rare and suppressed 1865 Alice” (Schiller, p. 386). Item #31539

An early printing of this classic. Illustrated in colour throughout with all chromolithographs on separate leaves and text on separate pages, endleaves also illustrated with chromolithographs. 12mo, bound in the publisher’s original blue boards printed in black, with a pictorial paste-down on the upper cover. 113 pp. An especially well preserved copy showing very little evidence of age or use, a well cared for copy of a book seldom seen in such pleasing condition.