Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland – Lewis Carroll – 1869 | First American Edition, Original Binding

The 1869 Alice’s Adventures Carroll first American edition, printed by Lee and Shepard in Boston, is the earliest authorized U.S. issue of Lewis Carroll’s landmark fantasy. This edition follows the suppressed 1865 British printing and closely matches the 1866 Macmillan release in pagination, illustrations, and typographic layout. It includes all 42 original illustrations by John Tenniel and was printed from electrotype plates supplied by the English publisher. This stateside issue is one of the first instances of Carroll’s text formally appearing in the American market.

Set from the Macmillan plates, this edition reflects the English design, including line-for-line typesetting and ornamental layouts. The printing includes key features such as the uniquely formatted verse on page 37, as well as all illustrations originally prepared by Tenniel for the 1866 London edition. No abridgment or editorial change is present in this U.S. version.

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland
• Author(s): Lewis Carroll
• Illustrator(s): John Tenniel
• Publisher: Boston: Lee and Shepard
• Edition: First American Edition, 1869
• Format: Octavo, single volume
• Binding: Original terra-cotta cloth
• Size:  7.5 in x 5.25 in (18.5 cm x 13.5 cm)
• Collation: [10], 192 pp
• Illustrations: Forty-two wood engravings by John Tenniel
• Contents Include:
  • Full text of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland
  • All illustrations present as issued
  • Unusual page layouts including shaped verse
• Provenance: Handwritten inscription to Rose Roper for her birthday July 7^th, 1873. From [Lizzie Schuster]

Condition:

Original terra-cotta cloth binding with triple gilt rule framing and central gilt emblem featuring Alice and the Cheshire Cat. Spine with gilt butterfly device and gilt lettering, now faded. Cloth shows rubbing, slight fraying at head and foot of spine, and to the corners. Binding remains stable. Interior pages are complete, with scattered age toning. The illustrations are all present. Decorative text elements such as the shaped “mouse’s tail” poem are intact and clearly legible.

Why Collect This?

• First authorized American issue of the Wonderland text
• Publisher’s original cloth binding with gilt Cheshire Cat device
• Printed from the Macmillan electrotype plates used in the UK edition
• Contains all original Tenniel illustrations
• Collectible example of early American children’s literature printing

Item Number: #28659