The Redcroft Kipling Library | Antique 1920s Pocket Books, Set of Three

Small in scale but rich in literary history, The Redcroft Kipling Library is a collected set of three antique pocket volumes dating to the early 1920s. Their faded green bindings, aged pages, and diminutive proportions give them exactly the sort of authentic character that feels at home in The Heritage Stable House and The Sporting Estate.

The set comes from the Rare Little Leather Library, Redcroft Edition, produced between approximately 1921 and 1924. Although earlier editions were issued in genuine leather, wartime demand for leather led the publisher to adopt a latex-coated canvas with a flocked interior—creating the distinctive leather-like bindings seen on these volumes.

Originally marketed through mail-order advertisements in popular magazines, these little literary editions were also famously distributed in Whitman candy boxes sold through Woolworth stores. The imprint was later acquired by publisher Robert Haas, with its history eventually becoming part of the lineage that led to Random House.

This set includes three works by Rudyard Kipling:

• The Man Who Was
• At the End of the Passage
• The Phantom Rickshaw

Their compact 4" × 3" format makes them particularly appealing for styling. Stack them beside a brass reading lamp, tuck them among larger leather-bound volumes, place them beneath a small equestrian sculpture, or leave them casually arranged on an antique writing desk. Their muted green bindings pair beautifully with dark oak, saddle leather, aged brass, tartan, equestrian art, and other timeworn books.

Details

• Authentic antique pocket books from the 1920s
• Rare Little Leather Library, Redcroft Edition
• Set of three Rudyard Kipling titles
• Approximate publication era: 1921–1924
• Latex-coated canvas bindings with interior flocking
• Distinctive aged green coloration
• Sold only as a set of three

Condition

These are genuine antique books with condition and patina consistent with approximately a century of age. Pages show natural aging, and minor penciling is present inside the covers. The text blocks have become unglued from the bindings, a condition commonly encountered with books from this series.

Their wear, fading, and irregularities are part of their history and should be expected rather than considered characteristics of a newly bound book.

Dimensions: Approximately 4" H × 3" W × ¼" D each

Please Note: This is a vintage item and is final sale / non-returnable. Please review all photographs carefully before purchasing.

Bay & Bridle Styling Note: These petite volumes are especially compelling when stacked somewhat imperfectly among larger sporting books, old correspondence, tortoiseshell reading glasses, and a small bronze horse—the sort of personal objects that make a Heritage Stable House library feel inherited rather than decorated.