To-Morrow: A Peaceful Path to Real Reform

London: Swan Sonnenschein & Co., Ltd, 1898. Cloth. Near Fine. The exceedingly scarce 1898 1st edition of this seminal tract in utopian town planning and urban design. Written by Ebenezer Howard (1850-1928). the renowned British urban planner and the founder of the "garden city movement", whose goal was "to capture the primary benefits of the countryside and the city while avoiding the disadvantages of both". Howard's hope was "to promote satellite communities surrounding the central city, separated with 'greenbelts'. These Garden Cities would contain proportionate areas of residences, industry and agriculture". Examples of such cities, which first sprouted up in the early 20th century near London, included Letchworth, Brentham Garden Suburb, and Welwyn Garden City. This is a sharp, very well-preserved copy in the publisher's original red cloth. Tight and VG+ to Near Fine, with dark-lettered titling along the front panel and still-bright gilt-titling along the spine. Small, neat name (Asquith Fortune) and date (Dec. 1899) at the top of the half-title, otherwise very clean internally, with mild offsetting along the inner hinges and endsheets, and no other writing or markings to speak of. 12mo, 7 impressive chromolithographed plates (the final one a striking fold-out) complementing Howard's text, each in lovely, near-pristine condition. A 2nd edition appeared in 1902, re-titled "Garden Cities of To-Morrow" and publishd in larger numbers, although still quite uncommon today. A landmark in turn-of-the-century architectural planning and design, and a clear nod to Edward Bellamy's epic 1889 novel "Looking Backward", still one of the Bibles of utopian thought. Very uncommon in its original 1898 edition, our research showing only 1 copy (somewhat compromised) having come to auction since 2012. (Inventory #: 23794)