Watership Down

Richard Adams, Watership Down. Harmondsworth: Penguin Books / Kestrel Books, [1976].

First illustrated edition, second impression from the same year of publication. Illustrated by John Lawrence. Including original dust wrapper and slipcase.

Set in Hampshire in southern England, the story features a small group of rabbits. Although they live in their natural wild environment, with burrows, they are anthropomorphised, possessing their own culture, language, proverbs, poetry, and mythology. Evoking epic themes, the novel follows the rabbits as they escape the destruction of their warren and seek a place to establish a new home (the hill of Watership Down), encountering perils and temptations along the way.

Condition

Quarter-bound in cloth with paper sides. Light wear overall and a bit of a musty smell. Bumping to extremities. Light discolouration to spine and a small discoloured patch towards the tail of the spine. Foxing and some marking to edges. Pages tightly bound with no straining or breaks. No inscriptions or marginalia within; very clean. Presenting well in a good, unclipped dust wrapper with bright panels and light discolouration to spine. Some wear, chipping and tearing with some loss to tail of spine. Some marks left behind on the inside of the wrapper from previous (unarchival) tape. Because every time the book is placed back inside its case, the dust jacket rubs against the sides of the slipcase, we felt it important to add a sleeve of archival quality to the dust jacket to minimise rubbing and protect it for the future. This sleeve can be easily removed if desired. The slipcase is in good+ condition with lovely pictorial panels, some bumping to corners and some marking to bottom.

Overall, a nice example in good condition for its age which could bring joy to many generations to come.