[Three Bears - George Nicol]

Oblong 8vo (4 1/8 x 5 1/8 in.; 105 x 130 mm). Wood-engraved title vignette and 11 full-page illustrations by Robert Hart after C. J., hand colored; somewhat soiled. Publisher's pictorial boards; rebacked, soiled and stained. In a half-morocco drop-box. With: [Southey, Robert, ed.]. The Doctor &c. Vol. IV. London: [W. Nicol for] Longman, Rees, Orme, Brown, Green and Longman, 1837. 8vo (7 7/8 x 4 3/4 in.; 200 x 120 mm). Title printed in red and black, 16-page publisher's advertisement in front; light marginal browning. Later black pebbled cloth, original printed title label on spine; backstrip mended, corners torn.

Southey: J. W. Flavell (signature on front flyleaf dated 1839); Nicol: Epstein family (sale, Swann Galleries, 30 April 1992, lot 350)

Southey: Cahoon, Children's Literature 125; Nicol: Schiller, Realms 125; not in Osborne

Nicol: somewhat soiled. Publisher's pictorial boards; rebacked, soiled and stained. In a half-morocco drop-box. Southey: light marginal browning.
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NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

First edition of the first appearance of this famous story, along with its first edition in versified and book form. The story first appeared in The Doctor (1837) edited by Robert Southey, and there, as in the Nicol version, the role of Goldilocks is taken by an old woman.

The same year Southey's tale was published, the story was versified by George Nicol who acknowledged the anonymous author of The Doctor as "the great, original concocter" of the tale (in the preface signed “G.N.”). Southey was delighted with Nicol's effort to bring more exposure to the tale, concerned children might overlook it in The Doctor, which is after all, a sophisticated literary magazine without illustrations. Nicol's version was reissued in 1848 with Southey identified as the story's author.