1894 – The Jungle Book – Rudyard Kipling, 1894 | First American Printing

This first American printing of Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book was published in 1894, featuring numerous illustrations from W.H. Drake and John Lockwood Kipling, the author’s father. The Jungle Book is a series of short stories set in India, where the man-cub Mowgli learns of “the law of the jungle” from memorable characters like Baloo the bear and Bagheera the panther, while also wrestling with his unclear place within it. The fables, or beast-tales, depict human archetypes in animal form, making the themes of abandonment vs. belonging and morality vs. freedom more accessible to young readers. Each tale includes a poem that serves as an epigram, and is accompanied by the artwork of W.H. Drake and John Lockwood Kipling.

Bibliographic Details

• Title: The Jungle Book
• Author: Rudyard Kipling
• Illustrator: W. H. Drake; John Lockwood Kipling
• Publisher: New York: The Century Co.
• Edition: First American Edition, First Printing, 1894
  • No mention of printing impression on title page
• Binding: Green cloth
• Format: Duodecimo (12mo), single volume
• Size: ~ 7.75in × 5.5in (19.5cm × 13.5cm)
• Collation: xvii, [3], 303, [1] pp
• Illustrations: Numerous full-page and vignette illustrations throughout
• Contents Include:
  • Mowgli’s Brothers
  • “Tiger! Tiger!”
  • The White Seal
  • Rikki-Tikki-Tavi
  • Toomai of the Elephants
  • Her Majesty’s Servants
• Provenance: Handwritten signature of Hollis Webster on flyleaf
• Reference(s): Martindell, 61 and 63; Richards, A76 and A85; Stewart 123 and 132

Condition:

Very Good. The original green cloth binding is slightly faded, the spine a bit soiled, but the gilt titling and vignette are bright and clear. The hinges are intact and the text block is secure if a bit loose. The pages are clean but show mild to moderate foxing throughout.

Why Collect This?

• First US Printing of classic children’s stories
• Features illustrations by W. H. Drake and John Lockwood Kipling

Item Number: #31295