Beatrix Potter — The Tale of Squirrel Nutkin

London, Frederick Warne and Co. 1903. First edition. Hardback. The first edition of this charming early Beatrix Potter tale about Nutkin the troublesome squirrel, with her colour plates. The first trade edition, first or second issue of this work, without 'Author of The Tale of Peter Rabbit' to the title page, and with the date to the title page. Bibliographers are unclear as to whether the 'Author of' statement denotes a first or second issue. Quinby 5A, endpapers Plate I.  In the original paper pictorial boards.  llustrated in Potter's signature style with a colour frontispiece, title page vignette and twenty-six colour plates. Collated, complete. Beatrix Potter's classic tale, following an impertinent red squirrel named Nutkin and his narrow escape from an owl called Old Brown.The book followed Potter's hugely successful The Tale of Peter Rabbit, and was an instant hit. The now-familiar endpapers of the Peter Rabbit series were introduced in the book. In the original paper pictorial boards. Externally, with loss to the tail of the spine and slight bumping to the head, otherwise smart. Internally, frontispiece is detached but present. Otherwise generally firmly bound, with gutter exposed between pp. 19-20 and pp. 53-54. Pages are bright and clean, with only a contemporary ink inscription to the front free endpaper. Good . Ill.: Beatrix Potter. Good .