Edward Ardizzone — Nicholas and the Fast Moving Diesel

London, Eyre & Spottiswoode, 1947. First edition. Hardback. The first edition of Edward Ardizzone's charming tale written for his son, about a boy and a diesel train, with Ardizzone's classic coloured illustrations, and in the original dust wrapper. The first edition, first printing. Illustrated with Edward Ardizzone's charming coloured lithographic illustrations throughout. A children's tale written and illustrated by Edward Ardizzone, being a reproduction of the author's hand-written manuscript, with cursive script. The story was written for the author's son, and follows a boy, his friend and their dog as they go to work on a train and save the passengers onboard.Undated, dated by copies held institutionally. In the publisher's original pictorial hardback with the original unclipped dust wrapper. In the publisher's original pictorial hardback with the original unclipped dust wrapper. Externally very smart with minimal edge wear, and cracking to the joints, though they remain firm. Light offsetting to the endpapers with owner's signature to the front. The wrap has marks, closed tears and chips to the extremities, slight loss to the head and tail, closed tear to the joint of the front fly leaf, owner's signature to the front and tape repairs to the verso. Internally firmly bound with bright and generally clean pages with the odd handling mark. Very Good Indeed . Ill.: Edward Ardizzone. Very Good Indeed/Good.