The Two Jungle Books by Rudyard Kipling (1924, Macmillan – 1st Thin Paper Edition)
 
This 1924 first thin paper edition of The Two Jungle Books by Rudyard Kipling combines both The Jungle Book (1894) and The Second Jungle Book (1895) in a single beautifully illustrated volume. Published by Macmillan and Co., Limited, St. Martin’s Street, London, and printed by R. & R. Clark, Limited, Edinburgh, it features numerous full-page illustrations by J. Lockwood Kipling (the author’s father) and W. H. Drake, including a striking colour frontispiece.
 
This edition is bound in red cloth with gilt decoration of men and elephants on the front board, gilt titles on the spine, and gilt top-edge pages. It is a fine example of Macmillan’s early 20th-century illustrated printings.
 
Exterior Condition
 
Original red cloth binding with gilt illustration to front board.
Gilt lettering to spine (faded).
Cloth and gilt slightly faded, particularly at edges and spine.
Bumping and very small splits to corners; minor fraying at spine ends.
Cover intact and robust for its age.
 
Interior Condition
 
Pages very lightly tanned, consistent with age.
Mostly neat, clean, and uncreased.
Occasional small marks or light foxing, mainly to endpapers and pastedowns.
Inscription on front free endpaper (“Xmas 1919?” – curious pre-dated note).
No rips or losses to text pages.
Light crack to gutter beside half-title; all pages secure.
Pagination: vi + 576 pages, complete and tightly bound.
 
About the Author
 
Rudyard Kipling (1865–1936) was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1907, the first English-language author to receive it. He is best remembered for his tales set in British India and his stories for children, especially The Jungle Books, which have become enduring classics.
 
Significance of this Edition
 
First Thin Paper Edition (1924) by Macmillan, making the full text more portable while retaining high-quality illustration.
Includes illustrations by J. Lockwood Kipling and W. H. Drake, adding strong collector appeal.
The gilt elephant-and-men motif on the binding is one of Macmillan’s most iconic Kipling designs.
Collectible as part of the long tradition of Jungle Book printings.
 
Specifications
 
Publisher: Macmillan & Co., Limited, London
Printer: R. & R. Clark, Limited, Edinburgh
Year: 1924
Binding: Red cloth with gilt decoration and top-edge gilt
Pages: vi + 576
Size: 18.8 × 12.6 × 2.9 cm
Weight: 523 g