Potter, Beatrix

4to, FIRST EDITION, PRESENTATION COPY INSCRIBED BY THE AUTHOR ("For Jessie Farquharson | from "Beatrix Potter" | in remembrance of old days at 'No. 28'. | Dec 18. 1929.") on front free endpaper and with the place of publication deleted by the author on the title-page and "Copyright of the Author | in Great Britain + Ireland | entered at Stationers' Hall London." added, 6 coloured plates and other illustrations by Beatrix Potter, THIRTEEN ILLUSTRATIONS WITH ADDITIONAL ANNOTATIONS BY POTTER, original green cloth lettered in gilt on spine, pictorial paper label on upper cover, dust-jacket, one plate torn, extensive adhesive tape repairs to dust-jacket

Quinby 29A

Condition is described in the main body of the cataloguing, where appropriate.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

The recipient was the "lady's maid" at No 28 Bolton Gardens. As Judy Taylor, in Beatrix Potter - Artist, Storyteller Countrywoman(London, 1996) writes:

There was also the time when Beatrix was drawing guinea-pigs. Through buying her hats from the same milliner in Sloane Square as the ladies who lived round the corner in Bolton Gardens, Beatrix had discovered to her surprise and delight that there were guinea-pigs at No. 28. The hats were always delivered to Bolton Gardens by two young children of the milliner, Ivy and Jack Hunt, whose mother was a friend of the lady's maid at No. 28, whom they called 'Aunt Jessie'... Beatrix became a close friend of the Pagets at No. 28 and was often invited to their lunch parties."

The additional annotations to the drawings mostly provide the actual locations of scenes. That on page 123 is annotated "Sawrey village. Castle Cottage on right. Coniston fells in distance", for example. Occasionally Beatrix Potter notes other information: the illustration on page 117 is annotated "My dogs Roy and Bobs. Matt in front - belonged to shepherd."