Bertha Bennet Burleigh — An Artist at the Zoo

London, Collins, 1934 . First edition. Cloth. A charmingly illustrated observation of early-20th-century zoo life, blending humorous sketches with lively natural-history observations, complete with the very scarce original dust wrapper. In the publisher's original beige cloth binding. First edition. Illustrated with numerous in-text illustrations and 26 full page illustrations, four of which are protected with a loosely inserted tissue-guard. Collated, complete. Complete with the original clipped dust wrapper.A lightly comic, observational account of life inside a zoo, blending sketches, brief essays, and characterful vignettes of the animals. Bertha Bennett Burleigh was a British illustrator known for her lively pen-and-ink work and natural-history themed drawings. In the publisher's original cloth bindings. Externally, smart. One or two minor handling marks to boards. Very slight rubbing and bumping to extremities. The odd minor spot of damp staining. Dust wrapper, generally smart. Clipped. Loss at head and tail of spine with archival repairs. Tape repairs to extremities. The odd chip, closed, tear, and crease to extremities. The odd spot and handling mark to wraps. Slightly age toned. Internally, firmly bound. Pages bright and clean with one or two spots and handling marks. Previous owner's contemporary ink inscription to title page. Very Good . Ill.: Bertha Bennet Burleigh. Very Good/Good.