Description
First edition, first printing of The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, in a first state dust jacket.
Octavo, [94pp]. Salmon cloth boards, title printed in maroon type and an illustration on front cover. A first issue, with no further printings on the copyright page and Reynal & Hitchcock listed as the publisher. Five-line colophon at rear of book on [p. 94]. Discoloration to the front free endpaper. Light rubbing to tips, solid text block. In publisher’s first state dust jacket, $2.00 on front flap, “386 Fourth Avenue” address for the publisher, chipping to both edges, closed tears to both panels, light toning to spine, a good example.
The original publishing company for The Little Prince, Reynal & Hitchcock, was acquired by Harcourt, Brace & Company in 1948. The Little Prince quickly became their best-selling book, but copies published by Harcourt were published after 1948. In 1960, Harcourt, Brace & Company merged with World Book Company and changed their name to Harcourt, Brace & World. The copies of The Little Prince published by Harcourt, Brace & World include a copyright date of 1943, but were actually published in the 1960s. (Firsts, Oct. 2003, Volume 13, Number 8).
