A signed copy of the rarest Winnie-the-Pooh book, When We Were Very Young, is the highlight of PBA Galleries' July 31 sale in San Francisco.
 When We Were Young is the scarcest of all Winnie-the-Pooh books, with twice signed examples extremely desirable |
The book is a rare limited edition, signed by both author AA Milne and illustrator EH Shepard. With just 100 copies ever printed, and very few signed, it is expected to sell for between $12,000-15,000.
With nostalgia a major force in the collecting world, Winnie-the-Pooh has become one of the most collectible of all children's books, and any item that comes to auction is met with strong results.
The example at auction is illustrated throughout by EH SHepard, with full-page and vignette line drawings. It retains its dust jacket, though it has some wear and a few small spots of soiling.
Many of the short poems included in the book were first published in Punch magazine, the long-running satirical magazine that EH Shepard provided illustrations for. "Teddy Bear" was the first appearance of Winnie-the-Pooh, published in February 1924.
It was an immediate best-seller upon release, and all Winnie-the-Pooh publications were met with similar success thereafter.
Paul Fraser Collectibles has a fantastic EH Shepard signed illustration for sale, from his preferred work at Punch magazine.
