Beatrix Potter — The Tale of Squirrel Nutkin

London, Frederick Warne and Co, 1903. First edition. Hardback. A delightful first edition of this early Beatrix Potter tale about Nutkin the troublesome squirrel. 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 boards, rebacked, with pictorial panel inset to front board. Illustrated 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.Charming pencil inscription to the recto of the frontispiece, "from Peter Rabbit".  Rebacked with the original boards, with pictorial panel inset to front board. Hinges reinforced. Frontispiece reattached to text block. Externally, smart, with minor rubbing and bumping to extremities. A couple faint marks to the rear board. Internally, firmly bound. Pages are bright and generally clean, with occasional light spots. Very Good . Ill.: Beatrix Potter. Very Good .