Arthur Ransome, 'The little people of the wood : a story of John and his friends', ed. by Arthur Mee, illus. by Thomas Maybank, publ. by the Amalgamated Press London, c.1910. Original illustrated publisher's pictorial wrappers, 7.25" x 5.25". This title is not mentioned by Cowen, and is only recorded in the The Arthur Ransome bibliography addenda, by W. G. Hammond.
Addenda "p. 16: I am indebted to John Tyner for telling me of a major omission, an early and exceedingly rare booklet by Ransome, The Little People of the Wood. In the Bibliography scheme this would fall probably between A8 and A9. The story of a little boy, John, who visits a wood and makes friends with animals, it is by no means Ransome’s best work, yet it is no worse than his other early writings for children, and it has a certain charm. There is no title-page. The outside upper cover reads: ‘[against a red-orange background:] [in black:] THE CHILDREN’S ENCYCLOPÆDIA STORY-BOOKS | EDITED BY ARTHUR MEE | [in white:] THE LITTLE PEOPLE | OF THE WOOD | [in black:] A STORY OF JOHN AND HIS FRIENDS | BY ARTHUR RANSOME | [illustration of six rabbits, from p. 19, ‘These be our young ones. Not that I think they’re much to look at’, by Thomas Maybank, in black and red-orange against a white panel] | [in black:] PRICE ONE PENNY | THE OTHER PENNY BOOKS NOW READY ARE | [at left:] “The Unseen Travellers.” | “Brer Fox and Brer Rabbit.” [at right:] “The Caliph of the Cage.” | “The Story of Ten Thousand Years.”’ Pagination: 24 pp. Collation: 12 leaves. Size: 18.4 × 13.2 cm. Contents: 1–24 text, headed on p. 1 ‘[illustration] | THE LITTLE PEOPLE OF THE WOOD’. The story continues, however, onto the inside lower cover. The work includes twenty-three illustrations by Maybank. Sheets and binding: Wove paper. Bound in wove wrappers, stapled. The inside upper cover reads, in black: ‘[within a double rule frame:] My dear Boys and Girls | [preface, beginning “I hope that you all know the magic of the woods.”] | Your affectionate friend, Arthur Mee’. The outside lower cover reads: ‘[in black:] THE CHILDREN’S ENCYCLOPÆDIA PENNY BOOKS | Four of these story books are now ready, and may | be obtained through any newsagent or bookseller. | [reproductions of the upper covers of the four books, in black, white, and red-orange] | THE COVERS OF THE CHILDREN’S ENCYCLOPÆDIA PENNY BOOKS | [rule] | Printed and published by the Amalgamated Press, Limited, Bouverie Street, London. | Editorial office: 244, Temple Chambers, E.C.’ All edges trimmed. The publication date of The Little People of the Wood is not known. However, Ransome entered this title in his diary for 1909 (Ransome papers, Brotherton Library, University of Leeds). It is recorded under the heading ‘Books to be done’, as written for the publisher ‘Harmsworth’, dated 29 June [1909?], and with a check mark next to the title. When writing the Bibliography I searched for this title in numerous library catalogues and databases, and in catalogues and databases of secondhand books for sale, without success, and I followed the name ‘Harmsworth’, which I knew to be associated with Arthur Mee (see his Harmsworth Self-Educator, Harmsworth History of the World, etc.), but also with the Harmsworth Magazine, circa 1910, until these trails also grew cold. Since there was not sufficient evidence of publication, and the check mark in the diary could mean anything, I omitted mention of The Little People of the Wood in my book. John Tyner’s discovery of the work in print of course puts Ransome’s diary page and its markings in a new light, and in this regard I must mention another ‘checked’ title entered there but unrecorded elsewhere: ‘The Book of the Month’, also for ‘Harmsworth’, dated 27 October [1909?]. The Amalgamated Press, printer and publisher of The Little People of the Wood, also published other works with which Arthur Mee was associated, including the Children’s Magazine. This avenue might be explored further, in search of more unrecorded Ransome publications, although the holdings available in libraries are few and far between". Copy offered for sale on eBay in Nov. 2017 (description above adapted from the seller's description), having sold at auction at Dreweatts of Bloomsbury, London, on 22 June 2017 (lot 221) for £100. https://auctions.dreweatts.com/auction-024/itemDetails/440/153653
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Addenda "p. 16: I am indebted to John Tyner for telling me of a major omission, an early and exceedingly rare booklet by Ransome, The Little People of the Wood. In the Bibliography scheme this would fall probably between A8 and A9. The story of a little boy, John, who visits a wood and makes friends with animals, it is by no means Ransome’s best work, yet it is no worse than his other early writings for children, and it has a certain charm. There is no title-page. The outside upper cover reads: ‘[against a red-orange background:] [in black:] THE CHILDREN’S ENCYCLOPÆDIA STORY-BOOKS | EDITED BY ARTHUR MEE | [in white:] THE LITTLE PEOPLE | OF THE WOOD | [in black:] A STORY OF JOHN AND HIS FRIENDS | BY ARTHUR RANSOME | [illustration of six rabbits, from p. 19, ‘These be our young ones. Not that I think they’re much to look at’, by Thomas Maybank, in black and red-orange against a white panel] | [in black:] PRICE ONE PENNY | THE OTHER PENNY BOOKS NOW READY ARE | [at left:] “The Unseen Travellers.” | “Brer Fox and Brer Rabbit.” [at right:] “The Caliph of the Cage.” | “The Story of Ten Thousand Years.”’ Pagination: 24 pp. Collation: 12 leaves. Size: 18.4 × 13.2 cm. Contents: 1–24 text, headed on p. 1 ‘[illustration] | THE LITTLE PEOPLE OF THE WOOD’. The story continues, however, onto the inside lower cover. The work includes twenty-three illustrations by Maybank. Sheets and binding: Wove paper. Bound in wove wrappers, stapled. The inside upper cover reads, in black: ‘[within a double rule frame:] My dear Boys and Girls | [preface, beginning “I hope that you all know the magic of the woods.”] | Your affectionate friend, Arthur Mee’. The outside lower cover reads: ‘[in black:] THE CHILDREN’S ENCYCLOPÆDIA PENNY BOOKS | Four of these story books are now ready, and may | be obtained through any newsagent or bookseller. | [reproductions of the upper covers of the four books, in black, white, and red-orange] | THE COVERS OF THE CHILDREN’S ENCYCLOPÆDIA PENNY BOOKS | [rule] | Printed and published by the Amalgamated Press, Limited, Bouverie Street, London. | Editorial office: 244, Temple Chambers, E.C.’ All edges trimmed. The publication date of The Little People of the Wood is not known. However, Ransome entered this title in his diary for 1909 (Ransome papers, Brotherton Library, University of Leeds). It is recorded under the heading ‘Books to be done’, as written for the publisher ‘Harmsworth’, dated 29 June [1909?], and with a check mark next to the title. When writing the Bibliography I searched for this title in numerous library catalogues and databases, and in catalogues and databases of secondhand books for sale, without success, and I followed the name ‘Harmsworth’, which I knew to be associated with Arthur Mee (see his Harmsworth Self-Educator, Harmsworth History of the World, etc.), but also with the Harmsworth Magazine, circa 1910, until these trails also grew cold. Since there was not sufficient evidence of publication, and the check mark in the diary could mean anything, I omitted mention of The Little People of the Wood in my book. John Tyner’s discovery of the work in print of course puts Ransome’s diary page and its markings in a new light, and in this regard I must mention another ‘checked’ title entered there but unrecorded elsewhere: ‘The Book of the Month’, also for ‘Harmsworth’, dated 27 October [1909?]. The Amalgamated Press, printer and publisher of The Little People of the Wood, also published other works with which Arthur Mee was associated, including the Children’s Magazine. This avenue might be explored further, in search of more unrecorded Ransome publications, although the holdings available in libraries are few and far between". Copy offered for sale on eBay in Nov. 2017 (description above adapted from the seller's description), having sold at auction at Dreweatts of Bloomsbury, London, on 22 June 2017 (lot 221) for £100. https://auctions.dreweatts.com/auction-024/itemDetails/440/153653