Kometjakten (Comet in Moominland) - Original First Edition, 1946

Publisher: Söderstöm & Co, Helsinki

Publication Date: 1946

Binding: Soft cover

Condition: Very Good

Edition: 1st Edition

The original first printing of this first full-length novel in the Moomins series.

The book, first published in English as "Comet in Moominland" (Ernest Benn, 1951), underwent numerous revisions during the author's lifetime, with scenes deleted and changes to the temperament and personalities of some of its characters made. Most modern editions are now translations of the last Swedish edition from 1968, Kometen kommer. 

The illustrations in this first edition,  reproduced from Jansson's water-colours, were also re-worked in ink for subsequent editions.

Bound with pictorial wrappers, pp. 179, untrimmed or roughly-cut edges, illustrated with line-drawings and reproductions of the author's original paintings.

A remarkably clean copy, entirely free from spotting, stains, water or spillage marks etc. No scribbles or owner names. Reading creases to the spine and there is intermittent creasing to some of the leaves - it is not an unread copy! The block is toned commensurate with age only, lightly tanned at the prelims/endpapers and wrappers, perhaps.

The binding is still fairly tight and square. There is splitting to the corners of the wrappers and at the foot of the spine but no discernible loss of paper.

A tidy and VG, presentable copy of this lovely rare book.