Le Voyage de Babar. Translated: Babar's Journey

"Le Voyage de Babar" ("Babar’s Journey") by Jean de Brunhoff, published in Paris by Jardin des Modes in 1932. A true first edition of this beloved classic of children’s literature, the French-language picture book follows the adventures of Babar the Elephant. Its distinctive pictorial cover depicts King Babar and his wife waving goodbye from a yellow balloon against a blue background, while the illustrated endpapers feature lines of elephants on red.

Folio (10.5" x 14.25"). 48 pages. Bound with a red cloth spine and pictorial boards. The spine ends are fraying with small areas of loss, and the corners are bumped and rubbed with tiny losses at the tips. The spine is somewhat soiled, and both boards show soiling, scuffing, and scratches. The page edges show very slight toning. A thin separation is present at the gutter between pages 40–41, with mesh visible, though the binding remains very secure.

A beautiful and increasingly collectible early Babar title, in better-than-average condition for its age. An appealing addition for collectors of Jean de Brunhoff, classic French children’s books, and vintage illustrated picture books.