Eloise: A Book for Precocious Grown Ups. by THOMPSON, Kay; KNIGHT, Hilary (illus.) - 1955

New York: Simon and Schuster,, 1955. First edition, first printing, of this immediately and perenially popular title. Thompson recalled that the book was first printed with "only a thousand copies the first time, just to see how it went" (Vanity Fair). The rest was history: "'Thursday evening first copies came off press. Friday morning at 9:30 people in the office who had taken home copies came in making considerable noise. Friday morning at 11:30 we ordered a second printing. Friday afternoon, Life magazine told us they are running a story on Eloise...'. Soon the book was selling 4,000 copies a week" (ibid.). Quarto. Original white boards, titles and vignette to spine and front board in red and black, pink illustrated endpapers. With dust jacket. Illustrated throughout in pink and black. Spine cocked, boards faintly soiled, extremities rubbed, neat repair to rear inner hinge, contents clean; jacket bright, spine panel and folds toned and lightly rubbed, a couple of closed tears and chips at edges, tape repair to verso, unclipped: a very good copy in like jacket. Marie Brennar, "Kay and Eloise", Vanity Fair, December 1996, available online.