A golden childhood dream where nursery rhymes meet the enchanting world of Jessie Willcox Smith.

Author: Jessie Willcox Smith.
Title: The Little Mother Goose.
Publisher: New York, Dodd, Mead & Company, [1918]. First edition in this format.
Language: Text in English.
Size: 6 x 8 inches.
Pages: xv, 176 pages.
Binding: Very good publisher’s original black cloth binding, front board decorated with a mounted colour illustration on a rich golden background; spine lettered in gilt (hinges fine, overall slightly worn and scuffed - as shown) under a protective removable mylar cover.  An attractive and solid copy.
Content: Very good content (bright, tight and clean, rare light foxing - as shown, front endpaper inner hinge worn but still tight and holding firmly as shown,  an early ownership inscription to front endpaper - as shown). Clean and well-preserved.
Illustrations: Illustrated with numerous black and white drawings throughout and complete with 12 beautiful full-page color plates by Jessie Willcox Smith; all present; vibrant and evocative, capturing the charm of classic nursery rhymes.

Estimate: (USD 350 - 400).

The book: A charming and highly collectible early 20th-century edition of The Little Mother Goose, one of the most beloved illustrated nursery rhyme books of its time. This 1918 first edition brings together classic English nursery rhymes with the unmistakable artistry of Jessie Willcox Smith, whose warm and tender depictions of childhood helped define the Golden Age of American illustration. The mounted cover illustration, set against a luminous gold background, is particularly iconic and makes this edition instantly recognizable and desirable among collectors.

The author and illustrator: Jessie Willcox Smith (1863–1935) was one of the most celebrated American illustrators of the early 20th century and a central figure of the Golden Age of Illustration. Associated with Good Housekeeping and other major publications, she became renowned for her gentle, idealized portrayals of children. Her work continues to be highly sought after for its nostalgic beauty and emotional warmth.