Potter (Beatrix) The Story of Miss Moppet, first edition, in panoramic format, first issue with London & New York on the back of the wallet, comprising 14 colour illustrations facing text printed in green, all within green borders and linen-backed, title and imprint on mounted mottled rose paper, ink stamp reading "Property Room, Not To Be Taken Away" to verso of final panel, light damp-staining to head of panels and inside covers, original red cloth wallet covers with mounted colour illustration, lettering and decorations in black, printed lettering to tab reading "One Shilling Net", very short closed tear to clasp, some light rubbing but an excellent example overall, [Linder p.183 & 426; Quinby 11], oblong 16mo, 1906.

⁂ In the scarce variant red binding (see also lot 23), the ink stamp and the presence of the "One Shilling Net" lettering (not found on the usual blue-grey cloth copies), indicates that this may have been a rejected trial binding and that this copy came from the Warne archives.

As the model for Miss Moppet, Potter borrowed a kitten belonging to a local mason which however proved to be a somewhat difficult subject, as she wrote in a letter of that year: "I have borrowed a Kitten and I am rather glad of the opportunity of working at the drawings. It is very young and pretty and a most fearful pickle."