I Saw Three Ships ( Only First American Edition)

Elizabeth Goudge

Published by Coward-McCann, New York, 1969

Stated First American Edition. The author was English. Once listed, this will be the Only First American Edition for sale anywhere on the Internet. In fact, it will be the Only 1969 edition, first or otherwise, for sale on the Internet. The author's Wikipedia page lists the titles of her many books in various categories. I Saw Three Ships is listed as her last Children's Book. There are a great many illustrations throughout the book, actually on nearly every page. They're all in excellent condition. You can see the covers of the book in the photos. They are very clean, despite being white. I didn't see any conspicuous wear on them. There's a tiny spot or two on the rear bottom edge, one on the top front edge. The corners are in solid shape. The book is very solidly bound. It was produced with a reinforced binding on both the front and rear inside covers, just adjacent to their junctures with their end papers. The pages are nicely tight throughout and the covers are nicely tight as well. The interior of the book is in excellent condition. The pages are exceptionally clean. I turned them all over. There is a speck of a spot on the blank front end paper, and four late pages have a small spot (one has two spots) off their bottom edges, not touching the print or illustrations. I didn't see any other soiling. The pages are also nicely bright. A few of the last pages have a very light crease off their bottom corner, actually better described as a crinkle. There is a crease off the top edge of the blank rear end paper, a thin one that goes down toward the middle of the middle page edge. This created a very mild, secondary crease on a handful of pages prior to it. There are no markings in the book. No attachments of any kind. I can see the light impression of a penciled name, 'Kate 3-M' of the top edge of the blank front end paper. Since it was already semi-erased, I tried to finish the job. But it is still vaguely visible. There is no other writing to be found anywhere in the book. You can see the dust jacket in the first few photos. It has a fair amount of handling soiling. There is a tear coming up from the bottom edge. There small losses at both spine ends, also a tear off the bottom one. There is a small loss on the middle edge between the front cover and front flap, another between the rear cover and rear flap. There is a greenish discoloration on the rear cover and several scribbled penned works of abstract art, children will be children. The flaps are in pretty decent shape, a little scuffing peeking over the edges they share with the front and rear covers. The front flap is clipped at both the top and the bottom, the price thus being removed. The rear flap is not clipped. I have the jacket in a fitted protective cover. From the dust jacket: 'Elizabeth Goudge introduces three unforgettable characters in the seafaring stranger who wore gold earrings, the mad Frenchman who was allowed through the streets by the town's cats, and dear Rags-and-Bones who seemed to have lived forever. The author weaves a magical tale of mystery and mood which will charm young and old readers. Margot Tomes' striking black-and-white illustrations capture the tradition and color of an old English seaport town. An unusual story of Christmas by a distinguished storyteller.' 'Elizabeth de Beauchamp Goudge was an English writer of fiction and children's books. She won the Carnegie Medal for British children's books in 1946 for The Little White Horse. Goudge was long a popular author in the UK and the US and regained attention decades later. In 1993 her book The Rosemary Tree was plagiarised by Indrani Aikath-Gyaltsen; the 'new' novel set in India was warmly reviewed in The New York Times and The Washington Post before its source was discovered. In 2001 or 2002 J. K. Rowling identified The Little White Horse as one of her favourite books and one of few with a direct influence on the Harry Potter series.'. Seller Inventory # 005030

Bibliographic Details

Title: I Saw Three Ships ( Only First American ...
Publisher: Coward-McCann, New York
Publication Date: 1969
Binding: Hardcover
Illustrator: Margot Tomes
Condition: Very Good
Dust Jacket Condition: Fair
Edition: 1st Edition