Rudyard Kipling — Thy Servant a Dog Told by Boots
London, Macmillan and Co, 1930. First edition. Leather. A Kipling story of friendship and discovery told from the perspective of dogs. The first edition in book form. First published in the Liberty in the United States and Cassell's magazine in the UK in the same year. A children's story told from the perspective of dogs who play the main role within the narrative. Kipling comments on society through how he uses the dogs to see the human world. Humans in form of owners are judged through how their dog behaves. This edition is with black and white vignettes by G. L. Stampa an artist known for illustrating the Punch magazine. The illustrations are important to how the story is narrated. They are fun and playful giving unique characters to the dogs. The main character Boots was inspired by Kipling's black Aberdeen terrier. In a half calf binding. Externally generally smart with slight rubbing to the boards. Slight loss to the back corners caused by rubbing. Fading to the front board near spine. Internally firmly bound. Pages bright and clean with occasional spotting. Clean vignette illustrations. Contemporary ink inscription dated 1930 to front blank. Very Good . Ill.: G. L Stampa. Very Good .