Black Beauty: His Grooms and Companions. The Autobiography of a Horse

London: Jarrold and Sons, [1877] Illustrated with a frontispiece by C. Hewitt. First edition, with 8 pages of ads to rear; in Carter's "C" binding, with small horse head medallion on front board facing left (Note: It can only be said with absolute certainty that A and B bindings are first editions, as the C binding was also used for the fifth edition in 1878, but, because the fifth edition is indistinguishable from the C binding, and because A and B bindings are exceedingly scarce, binding C is generally recognized as the first trade issue of the first edition). Publisher's green cloth, elaborately decorated in gilt and black, with horse head medallion in gilt to front board, and brown coated endpapers. Near fine, with light rubbing to spine ends, joints, and corners, light dimming to gilt, gentle lean to spine, contemporary gift inscription to front free endpaper, and some scattered spotting to text block edges and pages. Overall, an exquisite copy. Housed in a green custom three-quarter morocco clamshell box. Carter, pp. 37-38. Black Beauty is a memoir told from the perspective of a high-bred horse (the title page humorously states that the book is "Translated from the original equine"). Born into an easy life on an English farm, Black Beauty is sold to a series of different owners, some abusive, like cab driver Nicholas Skinner, and others kind, like Farmer Thoroughgood. Because of the book's innovative animal narration, 19th century readers were able to deeply sympathize with Black Beauty, and as a result the book was a major catalyst for the animal welfare movement, even leading to the cruel practice of "bearing rein" to fall out of use in England.. First Edition. Hard Cover. Near Fine. Illus. by Hewitt, C..