C.S. Lewis — The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (1950) — Stated First Printing, Macmillan (NY)
A solid, very good example of the 1950 Macmillan stated first printing of the book that launched The Chronicles of Narnia, Lewis’s beloved seven‑volume fantasy cycle published between 1950 and 1956. Issued the same year as the Geoffrey Bles first UK edition, this American first is increasingly scarce in collectible condition—especially in an intact jacket.
8vo. 154 pages - Bound in the publisher’s pale blue cloth with the stag device on the front board and gilt titles to the spine. The cloth shows expected age toning and spotting, with bumped spine tips and a touch of fraying. A March 1952 gift inscription appears on the front flyleaf. The text remains clean, complete, and sound across all 154 pages.
The dust jacket is very good or better: price‑clipped at both the top and bottom of the front flap, making it impossible to confirm whether the original first‑state $2.50 price was present on the lower flap. Aside from the clipping, the jacket aligns with known first‑state points. Light edge creasing, minor chipping at the lower spine tip, and evidence of a removed label along the lower front and rear panels. Colors remain strong, and the iconic Pauline Baynes artwork presents beautifully.
A sharp, collectible first printing of Lewis’s timeless classic—an essential cornerstone for all of you Narnia collectors.