Charles Lutwidge Dodgson 'Lewis Carroll' (British, 1832-1898) The Wonderland Postage-Stamp Case. [Oxford: Emberlin and Son, 1890.] 32mo. Printed paper slipcase. Some light browning and rubbing. A bit of spotting. FIRST EDITION, FIRST ISSUE INSCRIBED BY LEWIS CARROL to Florence Burton ('F.B. from C.L.D. Ap.4.1890') in purple ink. height 4 in. (10.16 cm.); length 3 1/8 in. (7.94 cm.), open length 6 1/8 in. (15.56 cm.) Footnotes: Provenance Bonhams, London, Printed Books, Maps and Manuscripts, 29 June 2004, Lot 458; Acquired by the current owner from the above. Literature Lerner, Sandy. Caticons: 4,000 Years of Art Imitating Cats, Ayrshire House Publishing, 2017, p. 165, illustrated. Two other inscribed copies are recorded in The Lewis Caroll Handbook, that inscribed to his sister Louisa in March, and the Madan-Schiller copy (Christie's New York, 9 December 1998, Lot 20), inscribed to Dodgson's Christ Church colleague T.B. Strong (later Bishop of Ripon) in April. The stamp-case was not formally published until July. Invented by author Lewis Carroll (British, 1832-1898), the postage stamp case was produced to encourage letter writing in the late 19th century. The case features characters from Carroll's best-known work, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. Though most believe the idiom 'grinning like a cheshire cat' comes from Carroll's stories, there is evidence of its use in 1788. English lexicographer Francis Grose was the first to make note of this saying in his book A Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue: ''Cheshire cat.' He grins like a Cheshire cat; said of anyone who shows his teeth and gums in laughing.' Four years later, English satirist John Wolcot's pamphlet Pair of Lyric Epistles to Lord Macartney and His Ship (1791) continued the use of the idiom. 'Lo, like a Cheshire cat our court will grin,' wrote Wolcot of political dealings in England. Scholars believe the origins of 'grinning like a cheshire cat' comes directly from Cheshire, England. As one of England's principal dairy counties, local folklore suggested that the region's cats grinned contentedly because of the plentiful supply of milk. By incorporating the phrase into Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, Carroll transformed a familiar regional saying into one of the most recognizable images in English literature. The Cheshire Cat has since become an enduring symbol of wit, mystery, and imagination, ensuring the continued legacy of both the character and the centuries-old expression. Condition reports are not provided in catalog descriptions. The absence of a condition report does not guarantee that the lot is in good condition or free from damage and wear. We encourage you to request a condition report and/or additional photos prior to bidding on any lot. For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com For further information about this lot please visit the lot listing