Through the Looking-Glass – Lewis Carroll – 1872 | First Edition in Original Cloth

The 1872 first edition of Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There by Lewis Carroll is a foundational work in the history of Victorian children’s literature and fantasy printing. This Macmillan edition, printed in London, includes all fifty illustrations by John Tenniel and features the original appearance of the “Jabberwocky,” described by Martin Gardner as the greatest nonsense poem in English.

This is an early issue distinguished by the textual misprint “Wade” for “Wabe” on page 21. The variant confirms its placement within the first print run. The gilt-stamped cloth binding and absence of later corrections align with Gardner’s bibliographical benchmarks. Tenniel’s engravings appear clean and sharply impressed in this copy.

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There
• Author(s): Lewis Carroll
• Illustrator(s): John Tenniel
• Publisher: London: Macmillan and Co
• Edition: First Edition, 1872.
• Format: Crown Octavo, single volume
• Binding: Publisher’s red cloth
• Size:  7.5 in x 5.25 in (19 cm x 13.5 cm)
• Collation: [8], 224, [2] pp
• Illustrations: 50 wood-engraved illustrations
• Contents Include:
  • Jabberwocky poem
  • Episodes with Tweedledum and Tweedledee
  • Red Queen and White Queen chess sequences
  • Full sequel narrative to Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland
  • 50 illustrations of John Tenniel
• Reference(s): Gardner (Annotated Alice); PMM 354; Carroll Handbook 44

Condition:

Bound in the publisher’s original red cloth with triple gilt borders and a central gilt medallion of the Red Queen. The hinges have been restored with period accurate materials and methods, with light rubbing to the spine and corners. The spine panel retains its gilt titling, though it shows uniform fading. The boards present modest wear, with a few minor marks and cloth bubbling near the fore-edge. Internally complete and structurally sound, the book contains all illustrations as called for. Some foxing appears on the preliminaries, and light toning is visible throughout. All edges have retained their gilting.

Why Collect This?

• First edition with textual error “Wade” on page 21
• Publisher’s original binding with gilt medallion and titling
• Complete with Tenniel’s original 50 wood-engraved illustrations
• First appearance of “Jabberwocky” as cited by Gardner
• Major work of Victorian fantasy in original state

INVENTORY NUMBER (SKU): #28660