Rare First Edition of Winnie the Pooh to Go on Sale

The first edition copy of Winnie the Pooh. (University of Queensland)

A first-edition copy of the beloved children’s classic Winnie the Pooh will be among the literary treasures for sale at an Australian rare book auction.

The work by Alan Alexander Milne features the original green cloth cover with gilt illustrations and Christopher Robin’s map of the ‘Hundred Acre Wood.’

“We were thrilled to receive Winnie the Pooh in good condition, especially considering it was printed in 1926,” Anne Mullins, one of the main coordinators of Brisbane’s longest-running book fair, said.

“E.H Shepard’s illustrations are delightful, and the map on the inside cover is full of nostalgic places like ‘Eeyore’s Gloomy Place’ and the ‘Nice for Piknicks’ spot.”

The original map of the Hundred Acre Wood. (University of Queensland)

The University of Queensland’s book fair will see Milne’s books auctioned, alongside a catalogue of several hundred works that have been noted for their rarity, historical significance, and printing and binding quality, including those by renowned naturalists and explorers.

'History of the Sea' at the book fair. (University of Queensland)

The Wisdom of Winnie the Pooh

Winnie the Pooh has been devoured by presidents, business leaders, and royalty—the UK’s Prince Louis reportedly received a first-edition copy of the Pooh book as a christening gift from his uncle, Prince Harry.

Perhaps it is because Milne manages to capture the essence of both childhood hope and grown-up wistfulness more than any other author.

“Whether Milne liked children or was good with his own, it’s certainly the case that he understood them in a way that few adults ever have,” Poet and editor of Bard Owl Publishing and Communications, Andrew Benson Brown, said.

Various theories have sought to explain Pooh, including Freudian, Marxist, Feminist, and even a Taoist one.

Illustration to page 3 of Winnie-the-Pooh (1926) by artist E. H. Shepard. Scan from Bibliodyssey (E.H. Shephard/Public Domain)

The Tao of Pooh by Benjamin Hoff uses the fictional characters of Winnie the Pooh to introduce the basic principles of Taoist philosophy.

For example, Winnie the Pooh himself personifies the principles of wu wei, the Taoist concept of action without intention.

The idea of slowing down and breaking away from the constant pursuit of success can seem a little alien in the modern world, but when one is fully in tune with the original nature of the world, things may run more harmoniously.

Whereas characters like Owl and Rabbit over-complicate problems, often over-thinking to the point of confusion, and Eeyore pessimistically complains and frets about existence, unable to just be, Hoff regards Pooh’s simpleminded nature, unsophisticated worldview, and instinctive problem-solving methods as expressing a deeper wisdom about how things should be.

Advertisements in an old book. (University of Queensland)

“Being able to breathe new life into these recycled books is special, and one of the ways we have been able to support students, researchers and educators,” president of the book fair volunteer team Catherine Lawrence said.

The event is an annual fundraiser organised by book enthusiasts to help raise funds for student scholarships and research.