Feast thy eyes on the 300+ editions of my Alice in Wonderland book collection. It all began in a Golden afternoon, about 25 years ago, (only a few years after the first Alice came out. im kidding, but God, the years go by fast). As new Alice’s pop out every year, this is a collection for the ages.
I received my first Alice in Wonderland at the tender age of 24, fell in love with it, and bought another one, and then another. Collecting Alice was and still is a reason to pry in 2nd hand bookstores, and look for Alice’s missing from my collection. Online shopping, mainly on eBay is where I get most of them. I have hundreds, and still, I’m yet to get my hands on key editions.
I find myself mostly interested in the odd illustrators of Alice. So many different illustrations for the same text, its just amazing.
Im guesstimating that if you put together all possible publications of the Grimm brothers, Pinocchio, Snow White, Cinderella, Wizard of Oz, Gulliver’s travels, altogether, multiply all by 10, you’d still not get to nearly as many publications of Alice in Wonderland, and Through the Looking Glass, in its over 150 years of existence.
What makes Alice in Wonderland this unique? Why, it seems, that for illustrators, its something of a jazz standard. If you have hundreds of jazz musicians making their own take on ‘summertime’ , then why not have illustrators publish their own ‘Alice’. But, why Alice is so captivating to so many. I believe its in its everlasting humor and freshness, that keeps this masterpiece relevant to this day. It’s rich with imagination, yet remains flexible and open, in a way that allows anyone to play with it, find meaning, and aspiration.
I will post about the illustrators of Alice in almost random order. I’ll start with the early ones, all from my private Alice in Wonderland book collection, (and other Lewis Carroll publications, to a smaller extent).
I’m dedicating a post per illustrator of Alice, I aim to place ALL illustrations in the book. It’s a tedious work, but I do enjoy it.
I’m also making an area to illustrations by scene, where some of the magic of this collection comes to light. There you can see how the different artists drew same scenes differently.
I have an edition of Alice in Wonderland that I can’t find much information about. It is dark teal colored with red stripes and text boxes with a genie lamp on the front. The copyright is 1902, 1905 by Rand, McNally and Co and the artist Illustrating is Fanny Y. Corry
I was probably going to keep it until I could find out more information. I do occasionally see some of the illustrations, like in your post about You are Old Father William, it is the first image on google for your post, but it is the fifth in the actual blog post.
The book’s actual condition is good with the pages, and okay with the cover and binding asides from fading on the title printing and the binding is in tact. If you are interested in purchasing, it would be something I would possibly sell, maybe if not now, then maybe in the future.
Thanks
Thank you Deanine, I appreciate it. I don’t have the Fanny Y. Cory Alice in Wonderland edition, and I’ll reach out shortly, im definetely interested.
Sorry for asking, but could you make a section in illustrations by scene dedicated to shrinking Alice after she ate a mushroom? This scene is so rarely shown, and if it’s usually just alice being proportionally smaller than the mushroom next to her. This one scene has so many ways of showing how weirdly Alice has shrunken, for example: in G. W. Backhouse edition Alice still has all her body parts, but only greatly shortened and her dress adapts to her new form; in Arthur Rackham and George Soper version she lost her torso and her legs, now she is only head, arms and feet; Birn Brothers LTD version Alice has it way worse, she is now only head, feet and hands, she gained at least ankles for the price of her arms so her chin doesn’t touch the ground yet; finally there is Alice that all she is now is her head and feet like in Philip Mendoza art.
I really hope this creative and underused scene will get it’s own section.
Thank you Karol, that’s a great idea. I’ll add a section for Alice shrinking, after eating the mushroom.
I’ll update you once its up there.
Thank you very much for considering this. This scene really needs some justice with the long neck Alice in the mass media. Not to mention this scene really shows how imaginative the illustrators can be when adapting it.
Hi Karol, check it out:
https://collectingalice.com/alice-shrinking/
Awesome! Thank you very much for crediting me.
This is a splendid website and the blogs are fascinating. If I may indulge in a bit of self promotion I am currently part of a team of curators who is setting up an Alice exhibition to be held in France (Strasbourg) November 18, 2022-February 2023. Part of it is about Alice and Surrealism, and I was particularly fortunate to be in charge of the section dedicated to Alice illustrations and satires. A catalogue is currently being finalised too. Of which more anon, if you are interested. Meanwhile keep up the good job of book collecting and sharing updates (thumb up) I’ll pop in again from time to time !
Hi Brigitte,
Thank you very much for the kind words. It does make me happy that this blog gets read by true Alice & Carroll enthusiasts.
Alice and Surrealism exhibition sounds brilliant. Carroll’s work, with it’s bending of reality, seems like the optimal choice for this kind of exhibition. Your part sounds exciting, which illustrators are you considering for it? I’d love to learn more about it, and help anyway I can.
I can be reached here – yonatan@collectingalice.com ,or via the comments on this blog.
talk soon, Yonatan
Hi Yonatan,
I just saw your Alice website, very interesting books. I also started collecting Alice books, but I show mine on Instagram. Are you also on Instagram?
All the best,
Lux
Dear Lux,
Thank you. I recently created an instagram account, but havent posted anything yet, you encourage me to do so soon.
I’ll look you up and follow you, very interested in seeing your collection.
All the best,
Yonatan