Alice's Adventures in Wonderland First Edition — Identification, Points & Collecting Guide

The Suppressed First Edition

Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland has one of the most remarkable publication histories in English literature — and one of the most confusing for collectors. The “true” first edition was printed in June 1865 by Macmillan, but was immediately suppressed because John Tenniel (the illustrator) was dissatisfied with the print quality of his illustrations. Carroll agreed to withdraw the edition, and a new printing was produced by a different printer (Richard Clay) with the same 1866 date on the title page.

This means there are effectively THREE “Alice” firsts:

1. The suppressed 1865 Macmillan edition (fewer than 23 known copies) — $1,000,000+
2. The 1865-dated copies sent to America (approximately 48 copies sold by Appleton) — $100,000–$300,000
3. The 1866 Macmillan trade first edition (the “real” first for most collectors) — $30,000–$100,000

The Three States

State 1: The Suppressed 1865 Edition (The “1865 Alice”)

The holy grail of children’s literature collecting:

Facts:

• Printed by Oxford University Press (Clarendon Press) for Macmillan
• 2,000 copies printed in June 1865
• Tenniel objected to print quality — Carroll recalled the edition
• Most copies were recycled (sheets used for a Macmillan colonial edition)
• Approximately 23 copies survive (some in institutions)
• Carroll gave some suppressed copies to friends and children before the recall

Identification:

• Title page dated 1865
• “Oxford: Printed by” at foot of final page (Clarendon Press printing)
• Print quality of Tenniel illustrations noticeably inferior to later printings
• Binding: Red cloth with gilt decoration (identical design to 1866 trade edition)

Values: $1,000,000+ (only institutional or billionaire collectors)

Auction history: Christie’s sold a copy for approximately $1.5 million in 1998. Another sold for $2.8 million privately.

State 2: The Appleton Issue (American “1865 Alice”)

The intermediate rarity:

Facts:

• When Carroll recalled the UK edition, 48 sheets had already been sent to Appleton & Co. in New York
• These were bound with Appleton’s name on the title page (some say tip-in; the details are debated)
• They represent the first copies to reach the public
• Date: 1866 on title page (Appleton) but with the 1865 printed sheets

Values: $100,000–$300,000

State 3: The 1866 Trade Edition (Macmillan)

The collectible first edition for most buyers:

Identification:

• Publisher: Macmillan and Co., London
• Date: 1866 on title page
• Printer: Richard Clay (NOT Oxford/Clarendon — this is the key distinction from suppressed copies)
• Binding: Red cloth with gilt decoration on front and spine (Alice holding the pig, etc.)
• Size: Crown 8vo (approximately 7.5 × 5 inches)
• Pages: [xii], 192 pp.
• Illustrations: 42 wood engravings by John Tenniel
• Gilt edges: All edges gilt

First edition identification (1866 trade):

1. “1866” on title page
2. “Macmillan and Co.” as publisher
3. “Richard Clay, Son, and Taylor, Printers” at end (NOT Clarendon/Oxford)
4. Red cloth with gilt Alice design
5. “PEOPLE’S EDITION” NOT present (later cheap editions say this)
6. All edges gilt

Print run: Approximately 4,000 copies

Values:

Note: Alice was issued WITHOUT a dust jacket. The red cloth binding with gilt decoration IS the “cover.” Condition of cloth and gilt determines value.

Through the Looking-Glass (1872)

The Companion Volume

Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There was published by Macmillan in December 1871 (dated 1872 on title page):

Identification:

• Macmillan, London
• Red cloth with gilt (matching Alice design style)
• 50 Tenniel illustrations
• “1872” on title page (published December 1871)
• Approximately 9,000 copies first printing

Values: $5,000–$25,000 (less than Wonderland because larger print run and sequel status)

The pair: Many collectors want both Wonderland and Looking-Glass in matching condition — a complete Carroll.

John Tenniel’s Illustrations

Inseparable from the Text

Tenniel’s 42 wood engravings for Alice are among the most important illustrations in English literature — they define how the characters look in cultural imagination:

Key illustrations:

• Alice drinking from the bottle (“Drink Me”)
• The Cheshire Cat in the tree
• The Mad Tea Party
• The Queen of Hearts
• Alice with the Caterpillar
• The Pack of Cards attack

Collecting the illustrations separately:

• Original Tenniel drawings: $50,000–$200,000+ (museum-level)
• Proofs of the wood engravings: $5,000–$20,000
• Original wood blocks: Institutional holdings (Bodleian Library)

Carroll (Dodgson) and Signed Copies

The Pseudonym Complication

Charles Lutwidge Dodgson (1832–1898) published Alice under the pseudonym “Lewis Carroll.” He maintained a strict separation between his mathematical/academic identity (Dodgson) and his literary identity (Carroll):

Signing practice:

• Dodgson signed academic works and correspondence as “C.L. Dodgson”
• He generally refused to acknowledge the pseudonym publicly
• He did NOT typically sign books as “Lewis Carroll” (though rare exceptions exist)
• He inscribed presentation copies to children (Alice Liddell and others) as himself

Estimated signed/inscribed Alice copies: 50–200 (varies by definition)

What a “signed Alice” means:

• Presentation inscription from Dodgson to a named individual (usually a child)
• Sometimes with a small drawing or puzzle
• The association matters enormously (to Alice Liddell = priceless; to an unknown child = $50,000–$100,000)

Values:

• Inscribed to Alice Liddell or family: Museum-level (priceless)
• Inscribed to a known recipient with personal content: $100,000–$300,000
• Simple inscription/signature: $50,000–$100,000

The Alice Liddell Connection

The Real Alice

Alice Pleasance Liddell (1852–1934) was the real child who inspired the story. Carroll told the tale on a boat trip (July 4, 1862) and wrote it down at her request:

Association copies connected to Alice Liddell:

• The original manuscript (Alice’s Adventures Under Ground) — held by the British Library
• Any copy inscribed to Alice Liddell — essentially priceless
• Material associated with the Liddell family — extreme premium

The manuscript: Carroll’s handwritten manuscript with his own illustrations (before Tenniel was involved) was sold at auction in 1928 for £15,400 — then the highest price ever paid for a literary manuscript. It was eventually gifted to the British Library in 1948.

The Complete Alice Collecting Universe

Beyond the Two Novels

Market Dynamics

The Alice Market

Permanent demand factors:

• Universal cultural recognition (every English-speaking person knows Alice)
• Film/stage adaptations ensure perpetual awareness (Disney 1951, Tim Burton 2010, etc.)
• Academic study (one of the most analyzed texts in English)
• Visual arts connection (Tenniel, Rackham, Dalí all illustrated Alice)
• Children’s literature + adult appreciation = dual collector markets
• International recognition (translated into virtually every language)

Supply factors:

• The 1865 suppressed: essentially unavailable (institutional)
• The 1866 trade: approximately 4,000 printed; perhaps 500–1,000 survive in collectible condition
• Attrition: children’s books deteriorate (though the gilt binding encouraged preservation)
• Institutional absorption: universities and museums acquire copies permanently

Collecting Strategies

Strategy 1: The 1866 Macmillan Trade First (~$15,000–$100,000)

The achievable Alice first:

• Good condition: $15,000–$25,000
• Investment quality: $50,000–$100,000
• Focus on cloth brightness and Tenniel illustration quality

Strategy 2: Alice + Looking-Glass Pair (~$20,000–$125,000)

Both novels in matching first-edition condition:

• The “complete Carroll” narrative fiction
• Red cloth matching on shelf
• Looking-Glass is more affordable than Wonderland

Strategy 3: The Victorian Children’s Literature Collection (~$40,000–$150,000)

Alice alongside the other Victorian children’s classics:

• Carroll: Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (1866)
• Lear: A Book of Nonsense (1846)
• Kingsley: The Water-Babies (1863)
• MacDonald: At the Back of the North Wind (1871)
• Stevenson: Treasure Island (1883)
• Kipling: The Jungle Book (1894)

Strategy 4: The Illustrated Alice (~$10,000–$50,000)

Collect multiple illustrated editions:

• Tenniel (1866): the original
• Arthur Rackham (1907): the Edwardian masterpiece
• Willy Pogány (1929): Art Deco interpretation
• Salvador Dalí (1969): Surrealist interpretation
• Ralph Steadman (1967): Psychedelic era

Buying Advice

What to Verify for the 1866 Trade Edition

1. “1866” on title page — NOT later reprint dates
2. Richard Clay printer identification at end — NOT “Oxford”/“Clarendon” (which would make it the suppressed 1865)
3. Red cloth with correct gilt design (Alice holding pig on front; spine decoration)
4. Gilt edges (all edges gilt — a.e.g.)
5. 42 Tenniel illustrations present and clean
6. 192 pages — complete
7. No “People’s Edition” or other cheap-edition markers

Condition Notes

• Red cloth fading: The red cloth is prone to fading, especially on the spine. Bright, uniform color is the goal.
• Gilt brightness: The gilt decoration on the binding should be clear and legible. Rubbed gilt is very common.
• Hinge condition: The book is 160 years old — hinges often cracked or weakened. Tight hinges are premium.
• Foxing: Some foxing on text pages is common for Victorian books. Heavy foxing on plates is a defect.
• Illustrations: Tenniel engravings should be clean and well-printed. Blurred or light impressions indicate late states.
• No repairs: Check for rebinding, spine repairs, or replaced endpapers. Original condition preferred even if worn.