THE KINGDOM THAT WAS. London: John Murray, [1931]. Octavo, pp. [i-iv] v-vii [viii] [1-2] 3-302 [303-312: ads], original red cloth, front and spine panels stamped in gold. First edition. Animal fantasy in which an "African explorer wakes up to find himself in an Africa of prehistory in which the animal kingdom is capable of speech and which is divided into warring species and groups. A popular book reprinted a number of times." - Locke, A Spectrum of Fantasy, p. 132. "Animals rule ... proto-humans are subservient and despised." - Teitler and Locke, By the World Forgot (2013) 716. Sequel is THE SECOND LEOPARD (1932). Bleiler (1978), p. 118. Reginald 08558. Private owner's bookplate affixed to the front paste-down. Gold lettering on spine panel dull, a very good copy in about good later issue pictorial dust jacket (with "first cheap edition 2/6 net" printed on the front panel) which is chipped and frayed at edges. (#165177).
Price: $100.00
"First Edition . . . 1931" on copyright page.