The Little Prince
By Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
 
First UK edition, first impression (London: William Heinemann Ltd. 1944).
 
Original publisher's salmon cloth. Upper board and spine lettered and illustrated in red and blue. Plain white endpapers and paste-downs. 
 
Very good. Cloth remains clean and unfaded, with light rubbing to extremities and some tiny dark spots to top of upper board. Some spotting to front and rear endpapers and paste-downs and, far more faintly and occasionally to remainder of contents, as usual, but illustrations remain bright. Neat gift inscription to the half-title (“wishes you all a happy Xmas and happy days always. Dec. 1945”).
 
The dust jacket has some edge wear, particularly to the top, with a few nicks and small losses to spine ends and a tear to lower panel fore-edge. Some spotting, primarily to lower flap and verso. Else a good and complete example, retaining the correct 9s. 6d net. price to upper flap.
 
The Little Prince is Saint-Exupéry’s best-known work and one of the most influential literary fables of the twentieth century. Written and illustrated during the author’s wartime exile, it blends philosophical reflection with a deceptively simple narrative, exploring themes of friendship, responsibility, and loss. The text is inseparable from Saint-Exupéry’s own illustrations, which are integral to the work’s significance.
 
Copies of the first UK edition in the original dust jacket in unrestored condition are rare in commerce.