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The Last Unicorn Peter S. Beagle

Illustrated by Tom Kidd
With a new introduction by the Author

An enchanted fantasy full of unforgettable characters and profound themes, The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle has charmed and delighted readers for over half a century.

Magical, beautiful beyond belief and completely alone, the unicorn has lived since before memory in a forest where death could touch nothing. Maidens who caught a glimpse of her glory were blessed by enchantment they would never forget. But outside her wondrous realm, dark whispers and rumors carried a message she could not ignore: “Unicorns are gone from the world.” Aided by a bumbling magician and an indomitable spinster, the unicorn embarks on a dangerous quest to learn the truth about what happened to her kind.

One of the most enduring classics of the twentieth century, The Last Unicorn has sold more than six million copies since its original publication in 1968, and has been translated into over twenty-five languages. In 1987, The Last Unicorn was ranked number five among the 33 All-Time Best Fantasy Novels by Locus magazine, and in 2020 Time included the novel on their list of the 100 Best Fantasy Books of All-Time.

With its lyrical prose, whimsical humor and philosophical ruminations on what it means to be human, The Last Unicorn is a quasi-medieval fairy tale that remains timeless.

About The Edition

The signed limited edition of The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle is presented in three states: Classic, Numbered and Lettered. The edition measures 6” x 9” and features nine full color tipped in oil painting illustrations by Tom Kidd as well as a new exclusive introduction by the author. One of the nine illustrations is a presented as a fold-out appearing in all three states.

Designed by Mark Argetsinger, the text pages are set in Monotype Van Dijck with calligraphy by Jerry Kelly, and are printed letterpress in two colors on the title page and chapter openings by Bradley Hutchinson on his Heidelberg Cylinder in Austin, Texas. The states are printed on Mohawk Superfine, Cranes Lettra and Arches mouldmade papers.

The Classic edition is limited to 750 copies, and is the only edition to include a dust jacket illustrated by Tom Kidd. It is a smyth-sewn full cloth binding covered in Platinum Silk Moiré cloth. Endsheets are illustrated and the edition is housed in a slipcase covered in Dubletta cloth, a luxurious woven cotton fabric with a subtle duo-tone appearance, and featuring cloth ends in a complimentary color. The edition is printed letterpress on Mohawk Superfine and is signed by the author and artist.

Classic Edition Dust Jacket Illustration
Classic Edition Endsheet Illustration

The Numbered edition of 250 copies is a Bradel binding with a cover design inspired by the famous Unicorn Tapestries of the late Middle Ages. The spine is covered in Chieftain Goatskin from J Hewit & Sons; the historic leather merchant which was founded in 1823 and continues to manufacture the finest quality leathers for bookbinding.

The front and back boards are covered in a printed cotton cloth from a commissioned painting in the millefleur style by heraldic artist Tania Crossingham. The cloth is expertly printed by fine art print studio, Magnolia Editions in Oakland, California using UV-cured acrylic ink resulting in an exquisitely detailed finish.

Endsheets are Hahnemühle Bugra and the headbands are handmade with leather. Included in this edition is a tipped in fold-out of the Classic edition dust jacket illustration. The book is housed in a clamshell enclosure covered in Dubletta cloth, a luxurious woven cotton fabric with a subtle duo-tone appearance, and velour lined floors.

A giclée print of the frontispiece painting by Tom Kidd, as well as the millefleur painting by Tania Crossingham are included in a Canson paper envelope within the clamshell enclosure. The frontispiece print is signed by Tom Kidd.

This edition is printed letterpress on Crane’s Lettra 100% cotton paper which is engineered for letterpress and is soft to the touch. This state is signed by the author & artist.

The Lettered edition is limited to 26 copies and is bound in full white goatskin with a unicorn and bull design by Laura Serra on the cover. Both cover figures are silhouettes made up of small leaf elements, foil-blocked in green and pink. The endleaves are French marbled paper and the top edge is gilt. Included in this edition is a tipped in fold-out of the Classic edition dust jacket illustration.

The enclosure is a round spine solander box in quarter white goatskin, with green foil blocked buckram sides and green Dutch bookcloth floors. This edition is printed letterpress on mouldmade Arches Wove paper and is signed by the author & artist.

A giclée print of the frontispiece painting signed Tom Kidd, as well as the millefleur painting by Tania Crossingham are included in a Canson paper envelope within the clamshell enclosure. Also included in the envelope is an original drawing by Tom Kidd.

The edition is handbound by award-winning bookbinder Benjamin Elbel at elbel libro in Lembach, France.

About the Author

Peter S. Beagle

Peter S. Beagle was born in 1939 and raised in the Bronx, just a few blocks from Woodlawn Cemetery, the inspiration for his first novel, A Fine and Private Place. Today, thanks to classic works such as The Last Unicorn, Tamsin, and The Innkeeper’s Song, he is acknowledged as America’s greatest living fantasy author, and his dazzling abilities with language, characters, and magical storytelling have earned him many millions of fans around the world. Peter has written numerous teleplays and screenplays in addition to his stories and novels. They include the animated versions of The Lord of the Rings and The Last Unicorn, plus the fan favorite “Sarek” episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation. His nonfiction book, I See by My Outfit, which recounts a 1963 journey across America on motor scooter, is considered a classic of American travel writing. He is also a gifted poet, lyricist, and singer/songwriter. 

About the Artist

Tom Kidd

Tom Kidd is an author/illustrator who has painted hundreds of fantasy book covers and, for a wide variety of publishers, illustrated many books: The Three Musketeers, The War of the Worlds, Dying Earth, The Books of Babel, Elric: Fortress of the Pearl, Dark Crusade, The Last Unicorn and many others. He has written: Kiddography, OtherWorlds, Fantastic Dragons & How to Draw Them and an award-winning short story, Comedy of Nature. His long-term project is Gnemo: Airships, Adventure & Exploration. A four-time Hugo Award nominee and seven-time Chesley Award winner, Tom Kidd has also received the Golden Pagoda Award and the World Fantasy Award for Best Artist.

Matching Numbers & Letters

A Matching Pre-Order email is sent to owners of our previous publication, Winterset Hollow at 9:00 A.M. PT on the day of announcement. If you did not receive the email, contact us here. If your order is not received before the deadline, your designated number or letter will be assigned to the new owner.

Order Limits

Please be aware of the order limits for our editions. You can read more about this in the Order Limits article on our support site.

Illustrations by Tom Kidd

Published editions may differ slightly from mockups and prototype designs.
Lettered edition photography by Yegor Malinovskii.
Illustrations © 2022 by Tom Kidd.

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