A Child’s Garden of Verses – Stevenson Jesse Wilcox Smith 1933

📖 A Child’s Garden of Verses by Robert Louis Stevenson (1933, Charles Scribner’s Sons) — a landmark collection of 64 children’s poems, here in the celebrated Jessie Willcox Smith illustrated edition.

This copy features the original black cloth binding with the iconic wrought-iron gate pictorial paste-down, and all color plates are present and vibrant.

QUICK FACTS

• Author: Robert Louis Stevenson (1850–1894)
• Illustrator: Jessie Willcox Smith (1863–1935)
• Publisher: Charles Scribner’s Sons, New York
• Year: 1935 (title page dated MCMXXXIII / 1933; copyright 1905)
• Format: Hardcover, black cloth with pictorial paste-down
• Pages: ~120 | ISBN: None (pre-ISBN era)
• Condition: Very Good-/Very Good (VG-/VG) — full report below

THE STORY

First published in 1885, A Child’s Garden of Verses is one of the most influential collections of children’s poetry ever written. Dedicated to Stevenson’s childhood nurse Alison Cunningham, the 64 poems capture the world through a child’s eyes — from the imaginary kingdoms of “The Land of Counterpane” and “The Land of Nod” to the everyday wonder of “The Hayloft” and “Picture-books in Winter.” The collection has been continuously in print for over 140 years and remains a cornerstone of children’s literature.

THIS EDITION

The Scribner’s editions with Jessie Willcox Smith illustrations are among the most collectible versions of this title. First published in 1905, JWS’s watercolor and gouache illustrations defined the visual identity of Stevenson’s poems for generations. This 1935 printing carries the 1905 copyright and features the full complement of color plates plus black-and-white text illustrations. The title page is dated MCMXXXIII (1933), with the original 1905 copyright by Charles Scribner’s Sons on the copyright page.

COVER ART & ILLUSTRATIONS

The front cover features the iconic pictorial paste-down: a wrought-iron garden gate flanked by stone pillars, opening onto a lush garden rendered in soft greens, purples, and blues. Title and author appear on decorative ribbons integrated into the illustration. The illustrated endpapers show children gardening among stylized trees in green and brown. Inside, the title page is bordered by yellow hollyhock flowers with a boy holding a bloom. Color plates include the full-page “The Land of Counterpane” (toy soldiers marching across a bedspread), “Picture-Books in Winter” (a child reading on a patterned sofa), and “The Flowers” (a girl peeking through a vibrant garden). All plates are printed on separate stock and remain clean and vibrant.

WHY IT MATTERS

• Jessie Willcox Smith was one of the most celebrated illustrators of the Golden Age of American Illustration, a member of the prestigious Philadelphia Plastic Club, and a regular contributor to Ladies’ Home Journal and Good Housekeeping
• Stevenson’s 64 poems — including “My Shadow,” “The Land of Counterpane,” and “Foreign Lands” — are among the most widely anthologized children’s verses in the English language
• The JWS-illustrated Scribner’s editions are the definitive visual interpretation of these poems and remain highly sought by collectors of Golden Age illustration

FREQUENTLY ASKED

What edition is this? A 1933 printing of the Jessie Willcox Smith illustrated Scribner’s edition, first published in 1905. Title page dated MCMXXXIII (1933).

What condition is it in? Very Good-/Very Good — full report below.

Are all the color plates present? Yes, all color plates are accounted for and remain vibrant.

FOR COLLECTORS

This copy’s pictorial paste-down shows a notable chip of paper loss at the upper right corner (affecting the blank border, not the central illustration), and the spine text is faded and rubbed — both common with this edition. The text block is clean and the binding is tight. A solid reading copy and display piece at an accessible price point for JWS illustration collectors.

Condition Report:
Overall Grade: Very Good-/Very Good (VG-/VG)
Cover & Spine: Black cloth boards show minor surface rubbing front and back in places. Spine text is faded and rubbed, as is common with this edition. The front cover pictorial paste-down is bright and clean, with a notable chip of paper loss to the upper right corner (affecting the blank border area, not the central illustration). Board corners are relatively crisp but show some wear to the cloth at tips.
Dust Jacket: Not present.
Text Block & Pages: Lightly age-toned with a uniform wood-cream color. Pages are clean, flat, and free of writing or major blemishes. Color plates remain vibrant and clean, and all are accounted for.
Binding: Square, tight, and structurally sound.
See accompanying images for full condition details. Will ship promptly, carefully packaged.

HFB-SEO-v1: 2026-07-07

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