MILNE, A.A. (1882-1956) & WILLEBEEK LE MAIR, H. (1889-1965), illustrator. A Gallery of Children. London: Stanley Paul & Co., [1925].

Very fine First American edition, limited issue of Milne’s second book. No. 131 of 500 signed by A.A. Milne. Published just after When We Were Very Young, this is Milne and Le Mair’s only collaboration. Henrietta Willebeek Le Mair was a French illustrator who trained at Rotterdam Academy of Art and was primarily active between 1911 and 1917. After her marriage, she became a Sufi and from then on signed her illustrations with her Sufi name, Saida. The illustrations for A Gallery of Children were originally created as Colgate FAB Soap advertisements published in various magazines during 1923. It was Le Mair’s agent, Mildred Massey, who would eventually bring about collaboration between Milne and Le Mair, with the former writing stories based on the pre-existing illustrations. (Frederick Warne, 1989).

Quarto (316 x 250mm). Half-title. Colored pictorial title and 12 colored plates by Saida (H. Willebeek Le Mair). Original white pictorial cloth gilt, top edges gilt with all others untrimmed.