Down the Rabbit Hole

Down the Rabbit Hole
February 09, 2007
May 31, 2007
Rauner Library, Class of 1965 Galleries

Curated by Patti Houghton, Barbara Krieger & Jay Satterfield

An exhibit poster designed like a classic book cover featuring a gold-embossed illustration of the White Rabbit from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, titled “Down the Rabbit Hole: Alice’s Adventures in Rauner.”

Alice's Adventures in Rauner

Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland has been a perennial seller for over 140 years. The absurdly whimsical tale has spawned new adaptations and interpretations for nearly every generation. This exhibition celebrates this year's Winter Carnival theme by examining some of the many wonderful editions and adaptations of Lewis Carroll's classic children's story collected in Rauner Library.

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland served as the Winter Carnival theme at least once before: in 1973, “Through a Frosted Looking-Glass” inspired dozens of snow sculptures across campus based on John Tenniel and Lewis Carroll’s collaboration.

The exhibition was curated by Patti Houghton, Barbara Krieger and Jay Satterfield and was on display February 9 - March 31, 2007.

You may download a small, 8x10 version of the poster: AliceInRauner.jpg (2.3 MB)

Handlist

Case 1. Early Editions

The true “first edition” of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland is considered a black tulip by book collectors: an item so rare that your chances of even laying eyes on a copy are remote and the possibility of purchasing one nearly non-existent.  John Tenniel, the original illustrator, rejected the 1865 Macmillan edition because the printing quality did not meet his standards for quality.  Nearly all of the 2000 copies printed were destroyed and Macmillan re-issued the book in December of 1865 bearing an 1866 imprint date.

The first American edition, issued by Appleton, is actually a second issue of the original 1865 edition. Macmillan disposed of some of the rejected sheets for the first edition by selling them to the New York publisher.  The difference in printing quality becomes obvious when the books lay side by side.

  1. Lewis Carroll, 1832-1898. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, illustrated by Sir John Tenniel. London : Macmillan, 1932. Rauner Bindings 76.
  2. Lewis Carroll, 1832-1898. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, with forty-two illustrations by John Tenniel. London : Macmillan and Co., 1866. Rauner Val 826 D66 O215.
    1. Author’s autograph presentation copy, inscribed on half title to Mr. and Mrs. Lewis, dated May 14, 1868
  3. Lewis Carroll, 1832-1898. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, with forty-two illustrations by John Tenniel. London : Macmillan and Co., 1866. Rauner Val 826 D66 O215 c.3.
    1. Author’s inscription on paste-down, with his monograph in the form of C.L.D. intertwined; letter signed by Sidney H. Williams, Carroll bibliographer, stating his opinion that the handwriting is Carroll’s.
  4. Lewis Carroll, 1832-1898. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, with 42 illus. by John Tenniel New York: D. Appleton, 1866. Rauner Val 826 D66 O216.
    1. Second [American] issue of the first edition.
  5. Lewis Carroll, 1832-1898. Alice's Adventures Under Ground. [1936]. Rauner Val 826D66 O214
    1. An exact facsimile of the manuscript of the work later expanded and published as "Alice's adventures in Wonderland", written and illustrated by C.L. Dodgson ("Lewis Carroll") and presented to Alice Liddell in November 1864; produced by Jaffe in Vienna for Eldridge R. Johnson who then owned the original, now in the British Museum.
  6. Lewis Carroll, 1832-1898. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, with 42 illustrations by John Tenniel. Miniapress, [19--?]. Rauner Miniature 137.

Case 2. Alice and Her Interpreters

The qualities of Alice that have kept the book current have also made it a favorite for illustrators and printers.  John Tenniel’s original iconic illustrations have been reinterpreted hundreds of times since they first came to the public’s attention.  The variations are striking and show differing visions of the text: from a hallucinatory journey to a light and witty story for children.  Barry Moser’s 1982 presentation of Alice, with its dark images, contrasts with the airy illustrations executed by Marie Laurencin for the 1930 Black Sun Press edition.  Both are a far cry from so many of the popular versions that have appeared over the years.

  1. Lewis Carroll, 1832-1898. Alice in Wonderland, illustrated with six coloured lithographs by Marie Laurencin. Paris : The Black Sun Press, 1930. Rauner Presses B561d.
  2. Lewis Carroll, 1832-1898. Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland illustrated by Barry Moser; preface and notes by James R. Kincaid. West Hatfield, Mass.: printed by Harold McGrath at Pennyroyal Press, 1982. Rauner Presses P372c.
    1. Edition of 350 copies, no. 235, signed by Barry Moser.
  3. Lewis Carroll, 1832-1898. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland with 48 coloured plates by Margaret W. Tarrant New York : Platt & Peck, [1916]. Rauner Sine Illus T27alic.
  4. Lewis Carroll, 1832-1898. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, with ninety-two coloured illustrations by Harry Rountree. London : T. Nelson and Sons, [1908]. Rauner Sine Illus R78alia.
  5. Lewis Carroll, 1832-1898. Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There, illustrated by Peter Newell. New York:  Harper & Brothers, 1902. Rauner Sine Illus N484thr.
  6. Lewis Carroll, 1832-1898. Alice in Wonderland, illustrated by Rene Cloke. London : P.R. Gawthorn, [1943] (Suffolk [England] : R. Clay and Co.) Rauner Sine Illus C536ali.
  7. Lewis Carroll, 1832-1898. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, illustrated by Michael Hague. New York, N.Y. : Holt, Rinehart, and Winston, c1985. Rauner Illus H158caa
  8. Lewis Carroll, 1832-1898. Alice in Wonderland, illustrated by D.R. Sexton. London : Juvenile Productions, [1939] Rauner Sine Illus S428ali.
  9. Brenda Girvin. Alice and the White Rabbit: Their Trips Round About London with thirty-three illustrations London : S.W. Partridge, [1909] Rauner Sine Illus H3755ali.

Case 3.“One Pill Makes You Larger…”

Jefferson Airplane’s “White Rabbit” was not the first time Alice found her way into song:  Lewis Carroll’s “Nonsense Songs” were set to music almost right away. The music combined with film, radio and stage adaptations have worked alongside retellings, fresh editions, reading cards, and events such as Winter Carnival to keep Alice ubiquitous in the culture.

  1. Lucy Etheldred Broadwood, d. 1929 Songs from Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass words by Lewis Carroll ; music by Lucy E. Broadwood, illustrations by Charles Folkard London : A. & C. Black, 1921. Rauner Sine Illus F65son.
  2. William N. Robson. Alice in Wonderland, Sunday, Sept. 26, 1937, 8:00-8:30 p.m. [New York, 1937] Columbia Broadcasting System, Columbia Workshop. Rauner Scripts 243.
  3. Barry Moser. Woodblock for the White Rabbit. The Papers of Barry Moser (Rauner ML-39).
  4. Lewis Carroll, 1832-1898. Alice in Wonderland Reading Cards London : Humphrey Milford, Oxford University Press, [1928]. Rauner Sine Illus J33alir.
    1. An abridged version of "Alice" with reading exercises on each page. With illustrations by A.E. Jackson.
  5. Lewis Carroll, 1832-1898, and Liza Lehmann, 1862-1918. Nonsense songs : (the songs that came out wrong) from Alice in Wonderland, music by Liza Lehmann. London ; New York : Chappell, c1908. Rauner Rare Book M1621.4.L5 N6 1908.
Back to top