Some British Ballads Illustrated by Arthur Rackham Child, Frances James (Major Contributor) [Very Good] [Hardcover]

Description

No date; circa 1919. Large 7 3/4"" x 10"" gift book design. Navy full-cloth boards, gilt cover and spine titles, design, moderate shelf wear, rub. Front boards features gilt squire and maiden with entangled tree in background; back board features stylized leopard and lion back to back facing opposite with flower and plant on either side. Spine features acorn and oak leave w/titles. Fine thick pages very good, clean. Antiquarian pictorial bookplate inside cover: ""Ex Libris, Sydny M. Strauss"". Classic plate features l-shaped oil lamp lit above open tome. Beautiful monochromatic green over grey-green endpapers at front and back feature knight on steed crossing bridge w/viaducts surrounded by large swooping birds, stylized trees and sky surround. Forty-four tales illustrated by Arthur Rackham, including fifteen tipped-in color plates (Young Bekie removed) mounted on grey heavy stock matte leaves. Also, twenty-four black & white full and partial page illustrations, decoration, and vignettes throughout. Many leaves of text throughout feature small symbol at bottom with definitions of unique archaic words or sayings from tales. Bind good, square; hinges intact. Clean, near very good first edition of this intriguing colllection of tales and imagery. The classic tales and legends of the old England are presented here including Chevy Chase, Babylon, The Riddling Knight, and many more. Several of the Ballads presented are based on the great work of Francis James Child. ""Few of Mr Rackham's work have been more consistently impressed with charm and beauty than his illustrations in colour to Some British Ballads. In them he pictures a succession of fascinating heroines habited in quaint and picturesque costumes, amid surroundings which, though belonging to no definite place or period, are always appropriate and congruous. His heroes are hardly less charming than his heroines, and the scenes in which they are represented constitute a series of fascinating and delightful pictures . One must feel grateful to Mr Rackham for giving us the prettiest picture book of the season"" - - The Connoisseur, Vol. LVI, 1920 ""Never did old poems appear so gayly bedecked than Some British Ballads, which Arthur Rackham has gorgeously illustrated with 16 paintings. It is hard to decide which the more attractive feature of this book-Mr. Rackham's paintings or the ballads themselves"" (New York Times). ""No more effective inspiration for the gifted brush of Arthur Rackham could be found than these popular old ballads. Handsomely printed and bound, this magnificent work should appeal to all"" - The Atlantic Monthly, Dec. 1920. Printed in Great Britain by T. and A. Constable, Printers to His Majesty at the Edinburgh University Press. 170 pages. Insured post. Size: 4to - over 9¾"" - 12"" tall