More Celtic Fairy Tales - Large Paper Edition
London: David Nutt, 1894. Batten, J.D. Hardcover. #51 of 125 copies on Japan vellum, signed by the publisher. 4to cream cloth over flexible boards, gilt titling to cover and spine. Illustrated with full and partial page wood engravings by J.D. Batten including the design for the cover of the trade editon.
John D. Batten (1860-1932) specialized in mythological and allegorical themes and is also well known as a important Victorian painter in oils, tempura and fresco. "In the 1890s Batten illustrated a series of fairy tale collections edited by Joseph Jacobs, who was a member of the Folklore Society (and editor of its journal 1890–93): English Fairy Tales, Celtic Fairy Tales, Indian Fairy Tales, More English Fairy Tales, and More Celtic Fairy Tales from 1890 to 1895 and Europa's Fairy Book (1916). He also illustrated English versions of Tales from the Arabian Nights and Dante's Inferno. Each one shows great attention to the dramatic myths and legends--his work is as fine if not more appealing than H.J. Ford's on the Andrew Lang colored fairy books from the same period.
Bound in rather bland cream cloth (lightly soiled), since it was meant top be rebound in a fancy leather binding, as manu copies were. The Guild of Women's Book Binders bound and even hand colored several copies of this very small printing. Top edge gilt, other edges untrimmed, endpapers moderately toned but a solid copy of a scarce edition. Very Good. Item #37946
Price: $500.00