SNICKET, Lemony. The Bad Beginning. Illustrated by Brett Helquist. [London]:
Egmont [2003]. 8vo, [vii] 167pp. Black imitation leather stamped in gilt with color pictorial paper label affixed to the front cover. Brown patterned endpapers; 5 color plates and b&w illustrated chapter headings. A fine copy in original black cloth slipcase stamped in gilt on spine and front. Signed by the author, Lemony Snicket.

First limited edition, being issued four years after the original US edition, but in a larger, more lavish format and limited to just 500 numbered copies signed by Daniel Handler as representative of Lemony Snickett (Handlers literary nom de plume) A
beautiful limited edition of this first book in the A Series of Unfortunate Events series containing five color plates by the illustrator, Brett Helquist, not included in the original trade edition. A worldwide phenomenon, the 13-book series introduced a new type of black humor to children's books.