BARRIE, J. M. (1860-1937). Peter Pan or The Boy Who Would Not Grow Up [in: The Uniform Edition of the Plays of J. M. Barrie]. London, 1928, 8vo, original cloth, dust-jacket. FIRST EDITION of Barrie's play. With 2 other volumes from the same set. (3)

BARRIE, James Matthew (1860-1937).  Peter Pan or The Boy Who Would Not Grow Up [in: The Uniform Edition of the Plays of J. M. Barrie]. London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1928. 8vo (182 x 120mm). Half title, publisher's advertisements on the verso of the half title, title printed in red and black (some spotting at edges). Original blue buckram with white paper labels lettered in blue on the upper cover and the spine, dust-jacket printed in red and blue (the upper cover label with a small piece torn away, not affecting letters, a few spots to the upper wrapper of the jacket). FIRST PUBLISHED EDITION OF J. M. BARRIE'S PLAY which did much to promote the popularity of his perennial character Peter Pan. Barrie first introduced the world to "the boy who would not grow up" in his 1902 novel "The Little White Bird". The chapters which involved him were recycled to form "Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens" in 1906, accompanied by Arthur Rackham's illustrations. The play, "Peter Pan or The Boy Who Would Not Grow Up", was first performed at the Duke of York's Theatre, London, on 27 December 1904 where it met with great success. Many other performances followed, including a Broadway production in 1905, with the author making continual revisions to the text up until its first publication in the present volume of "The Uniform Edition" of his works in 1928. The volume opens with the author's introduction "To the Five. A Dedication" in which he gives an account of the genesis of the play, and the character with which he has since become synonymous: "... I have no recollection of writing the play of Peter Pan, now being published for the first time so long after he made his bow upon the stage ..." With 2 other volumes from the same Uniform Edition of the works and plays of J. M. Barrie (1929-32). (3)