No Kiss for Mother by Tomi Ungerer (First Edition)

This is a first edition copy of 'No Kiss for Mother,' written and illustrated by the renowned artist Tomi Ungerer, originally published in 1973 by Harper & Row. The item features a black dust jacket with gold-colored serif typography and a central black-and-white charcoal illustration of the main character, Piper Paw, an anthropomorphic cat with an intense expression, seated at a table. The hardcover binding is visible beneath chips in the jacket, showing a yellowish-tan cloth or board material. The condition of this specimen is fair to poor; the dust jacket shows significant structural damage including a large closed tear and creasing at the bottom edge, severe chipping and loss at the top left corner of the spine, and general shelf wear with visible 'white' scuffing against the black background. There is also noticeable foxing or brown spotting on the central white illustration panel. Despite the condition issues, Ungerer's distinct, darkly humorous subversive style remains prominent, making this a significant piece of 1970s children's literature history. The interior pages appear to be in place, though further inspection for light-toning or internal foxing would be required for a full valuation.