Allen W. Seaby — Dinah, the Dartmoor Pony

London, A. & C. Black, 1935. First edition. Cloth. A first edition of this charming story of a Dartmoor Pony by one of the first authors of the pony story for children, Allen William Seaby. The first edition of this work in the publisher's original cloth binding, with the original unclipped dust wrapper. Illustrated with a frontispiece and 75 illustrations accompanying the text. Collated complete. Allen William Seaby (1867-1953) wrote several art books for students, and was an early writer of pony stories for children. Seaby"s pony books were published between 1923 and 1949, and typically depicted the life of native ponies. He gives a naturalist perspective, observing the ponies" behaviour in their natural habitat. Dinah: The Dartmoor Pony is the most archetypal of his pony stories: separated from her dam as a foal, Dinah finds her way onto a farm where twelve-year-old Dolly looks after her. In publisher's original cloth binding, with original unclipped dust wrapper. Externally, cloth is faded, particularly to the spine, but very smart in other respects. Internally, firmly bound. Pages are generally bright and clean, with the odd spot to the first and last few pages, and to the fore edge, affecting the occasional page. Small stain to page 7. Faint marks to the dust wrapper and chipping to the folds, and the head and tail of the spine. The losses to the spine of the wrap do not obscure the lettering. Spine is slightly sunned. Very Good . Ill.: Allen W. Seaby. Very Good/Good.