The Tale of Squirrel Nutkin

London: Frederick Warne and Co, 1903. First edition. Hardback. Fair. 5.5" by 4". Beatrix Potter. A first edition of this popular Beatrix Potter tale, complete with her original charming colour plates. First edition, the first or second impression, which are believed to be indistinguishable from one another, with the date to the title page and without the statement 'Author of The Tale of Peter Rabbit' to the title.'Squirrel Nutkin' follows an impertinent red squirrel named Nutkin as he narrowly escapes from an owl named Old Brown. Following the publication of 'Peter Rabbit' the year before, 'Squirrel Nutkin' became an instant hit upon publication.Beautifully illustrated in colour in Potter's typical style, with a colour frontispiece, and twenty-six colour plates.Collated, complete. In the original publisher's paper covered boards. Externally, backstrip had been reinforced with aged tape, lifting a little in places with some discolouration to the paper. Light marks to the boards, with a heavy tide mark and discolouration to the rear board. Light bumping to the extremities. Aged tape to the paste downs, and recto of the rear endpaper. Prior owner's ink inscription to the recto of the front endpaper. Internally, binding has failed between 8/9, the rest of the text being generally firmly bound, with tape reinforcements to the gutter of pages 8/9, 16/17, 18/19, 42/43, 54/55, 66/67, 78/79, 80/81, and 84/85. Pages are bright and clean. Damp stain to the fore edge of the textblock, resulting in some wrinkling to the pages. A little wear to the head of the textblock, heavier to the last few pages. Wear has resulted in a little loss to the head of page 15/16, 61-64, and 69/70. Dampstain has resulted in surface level loss to the pages 56 to 85, increasing to the later pages. Fair