Michael Bond – A Bear Called Paddington – First Edition, 1958 – Illustrated by Peggy Fortnum

Author: Michael Bond
Title: A Bear Called Paddington
Illustrator: Peggy Fortnum
Publisher: Collins, St James’s Place, London
Date: 1958
Edition: First Edition
Format: Octavo
Binding: Original Publisher’s Pink Cloth
Condition: Very Good
Dustwrapper: Not Present
Stock Number: 004204 Location: Bookroom

Description

A scarce and highly collectible first edition of A Bear Called Paddington, Michael Bond’s celebrated 1958 children’s classic, published by Collins in London and illustrated with the original drawings by Peggy Fortnum. One of the most significant British children’s books of the post-war period, this is the first appearance in book form of Paddington Bear, the much-loved character whose adventures have become an enduring part of British literary and popular culture.

Published on 13 October 1958, A Bear Called Paddington introduced readers to a small, remarkably polite bear from Darkest Peru who arrives alone at London’s Paddington Station carrying a battered suitcase and wearing a label bearing the now-famous request, ‘Please look after this bear. Thank you.’ Discovered by Mr and Mrs Brown, he is taken into their family home at 32 Windsor Gardens, where his unfamiliarity with everyday life in Britain leads to a succession of wonderfully chaotic adventures.

The book comprises eight stories, beginning with ‘Please Look After This Bear’ and continuing with ‘A Bear in Hot Water’, ‘Paddington Goes Underground’, ‘A Shopping Expedition’, ‘Paddington and the “Old Master”‘, ‘A Visit to the Theatre’, ‘Adventure at the Seaside’ and ‘A Disappearing Trick’. Together, these establish the distinctive mixture of gentle humour, innocence, misunderstanding and understated social observation that made Bond’s creation so successful.

Michael Bond and the Origins of Paddington Bear

Michael Bond (1926–2017) was born in Newbury, Berkshire, and became one of Britain’s most successful and widely read authors of children’s fiction. The inspiration for Paddington came on Christmas Eve 1956, when Bond noticed a solitary teddy bear on a shelf in a London department store. Feeling sorry for the bear, he purchased it as a present for his wife, Brenda. The couple named it Paddington after the railway station near their home.

Bond subsequently began writing stories about the bear, drawing upon the everyday experiences and peculiarities of British life. The character’s origins also reflected memories of the displaced children and refugees who arrived in Britain during and after the Second World War. Bond later acknowledged the influence of seeing young evacuees carrying small suitcases and wearing identification labels, an image echoed in Paddington’s arrival at the railway station.

The resulting manuscript was accepted by Collins, and A Bear Called Paddington appeared in October 1958. Its success established a literary series that would continue for decades, ultimately becoming one of the most recognisable creations in British children’s literature.

Bond’s achievement lay partly in giving Paddington an unusually convincing personality. Exceptionally courteous, independent-minded and invariably well-intentioned, Paddington nevertheless possesses an extraordinary ability to transform the simplest domestic activity into a major incident. His innocence provides much of the humour, while his strong sense of fairness and unfailing politeness give the stories their lasting appeal.

Peggy Fortnum and the Original Illustrations

An especially important feature of this first edition is its illustration by Peggy Fortnum (1919–2016), whose delicate and expressive pen-and-ink drawings played a fundamental role in establishing Paddington’s original visual identity.

Fortnum studied at the Central School of Arts and Crafts in London and developed a distinguished career as an illustrator of children’s books. Her work combined economy of line with an exceptional ability to convey personality, gesture and expression.

For A Bear Called Paddington, Fortnum created the familiar image of the small bear wearing his distinctive broad-brimmed hat, often carrying a suitcase and displaying an engaging mixture of curiosity, determination and bewilderment. Her illustrations perfectly complement Bond’s prose, capturing both the character’s dignity and his vulnerability.

These original drawings are particularly significant because they represent Paddington as he first appeared to readers in 1958, before the various television, merchandising and cinematic interpretations that followed.

Fortnum continued to illustrate the early Paddington books, and her artwork remains among the most admired illustrations associated with the character. Her contribution to the success and enduring appeal of the series should not be underestimated.

Literary and Cultural Importance

A Bear Called Paddington occupies an important position in the development of twentieth-century British children’s literature. Its publication came during a particularly productive period for the genre, when writers and illustrators were creating characters and imaginary worlds that would remain popular with successive generations of readers.

Unlike many earlier children’s stories built around fantasy or distant adventures, Bond placed his extraordinary central character within an immediately recognisable contemporary London. Paddington’s encounters with public transport, shopping, household routines, neighbours and everyday British customs provide an affectionate portrait of post-war urban life.

The character also embodies themes of hospitality, belonging and cultural misunderstanding. Paddington arrives in Britain as a stranger, but the Brown family’s willingness to welcome him into their home provides the foundation for the entire series.

The original stories have subsequently been translated into numerous languages and have inspired television adaptations, stage productions and internationally successful feature films. Paddington himself has become one of Britain’s most familiar fictional characters, recognised across the world.

The 1958 first edition is consequently of interest not only to collectors of children’s literature but also to those concerned with British illustration, publishing history and twentieth-century popular culture.

First Edition and Collectability

This copy is the first edition, first printing of A Bear Called Paddington, published by Collins in 1958, retaining the original publisher’s red cloth binding and Fortnum’s first illustrations. The title page bears the original 1958 date, while the copyright page identifies Michael Bond’s 1958 copyright and records printing in Great Britain by Collins Clear-Type Press, London and Glasgow. No subsequent printing or edition is indicated. The original first edition is distinguished from the numerous later impressions and reissues of this immensely popular title. Its importance derives from being the original published form of Bond’s first Paddington book, containing the text and illustrations through which the character was initially introduced to the reading public.

Condition

First Edition, 1958. Octavo. Original publisher’s red cloth with lettering to the spine.

A neat ink ownership name is present at the top of the front blank. There is occasional slight foxing, as is often encountered with this title, together with a few minor marks, but the pages are otherwise generally nice and clean. The original illustrations by Peggy Fortnum are well preserved. The binding remains nice and tight, with the original red cloth showing some fading to the spine, together with minor marks and light general wear. The spine lettering remains clearly visible. There is no dustwrapper. The photographs of the cloth were taken in our studio and give the impression that the cloth is darker than it is and that the contrast between the spine and the boards is substantial. This is not the case, the cloth has a much softer tone and it is a very nice copy.

A very good indeed copy overall of the scarce first edition of Michael Bond’s A Bear Called Paddington, retaining its original cloth binding and Peggy Fortnum’s delightful illustrations. An important and increasingly collectible landmark of twentieth-century British children’s literature.

Stock Number: 004204

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