Another Alice: Showcasing the Newest Addition to My Book Collection

Hello friends, readers, writers, and fellow bibliophiles! I hope February is treating you well. Today I wanted to share the newest member of my book collection with you. Yesterday, I attended the California International Antiquarian Book Fair in Pasadena—purportedly the largest such fair in the country—and picked up my newest gem.

First off, the fair was utterly amazing and a must-see for anyone even remotely interested in books, antiques, and rare ephemera (even my S.O., a verifiable book hater, had a blast!). I must admit, tears welled in my eyes when I came across an exquisitely preserved Appleton Alice, the rarest obtainable edition of Lewis Carroll’s famed masterpiece. And it could have been mine for a mere $50,000! Alas, if I possessed such a sum, I would have been extremely tempted. Instead, I satisfied myself with ogling at it through the glass, soaking in its presence like the massive nerd I am.

Next year’s fair is set to be held in Oakland, but several other states host similar fairs throughout the year, so definitely look into those as well.

But now, on to the piece I actually purchased. The very last booth we came across was that of a lovely shop called Bud Plant & Hutchison Books that specializes in illustrated and children’s books. In addition to their vast assortment of Alices (you bet your ass I pored over every single one), they have many other wonderful books in various price ranges available, so I highly recommend checking them out if you’re in the Grass Valley area.

After thoroughly examining their offerings, I had my heart set on two copies: a very uniquely shaped and designed copy of both Wonderland and Looking-Glass illustrated and autographed by Anne Bachelier and arranged such that one story is located on one side of the book and the other is located on the opposite side when flipped; and a lovely, purple fabric-covered 1929 edition illustrated by Willy Pogany and featuring lavishly colored images of Alice in the style of the time. As desperately as I wished to take both volumes home with me, Pogany’s $275 sticker was a tad too rich for my blood, so I left with only the Bachelier edition.

Despite my somber tone, I am ecstatic about this new addition to my collection (it even earned the seal of approval from my S.O., who was totally fascinated by its unique design). Although I had to pay a fair bit more for this copy because it was signed by the illustrator, a feature I don’t typically concern myself with, a quick internet search revealed that this book is hard to find, so I took advantage of the opportunity and bought it anyway. (There are five versions of the first edition of this book, and I believe that my copy is the Standard Edition).

This volume, which measures at more than a foot tall and just over a half-foot wide, features the complete texts of both Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There, which is my preference over abridged and adapted versions of the story. The illustrations, needless to say, are exquisitely rendered in vibrant, dreamlike watercolor, and there are quite a few of them! My complaint with many renditions, such as Dali’s, is the scarcity of illustrations, such that many volumes only contain maybe six or eight full-page images. Not so with Bachelier’s! Nearly every page in the volume features some piece of art, and a few full-spread foldouts are scattered throughout as well. Wonderland begins from the front cover, and Looking-Glass begins at the back, with the book flipped upside down so that it still reads from left to right. The two stories end in the center of the book, separated by individual colophons and a gorgeous mirror-image illustration of the Cheshire Cat. The font for the main text is unique and aesthetically pleasing, almost script-like, and the chapter titles and decorative bits are printed in a lovely but legible gold. Despite its unusual dimensions, I don’t find the book cumbersome to read (though I do find it difficult to shelve), and the vast amount of art it includes makes this edition perfect for reading with children.

Overall, I am immensely pleased with this edition, and its uniqueness is exactly the type of thing I look for in my collection. I am very grateful to have it.