The Pied Piper of Hamelin

London: George C. Harrap, 1934. First Edition. Wraps. Near fine/very good +. Rackham, Arthur. The first trade edition with Arthur Rackham illustrations, octavo size, 45 pp., in dust jacket. A well-known legend from the Middle Ages, related in poetic form by Robert Browning (1812-1889).

This version the first trade publication with illustrations by Arthur Rackham (1867-1939), an eminent illustrator of many books which often depict fantasy and fairy tale subjects. Rackham contributed the artwork for many popular stories, such as "Cinderella", "Sleeping Beauty", "Alice in Wonderland", and the Brothers Grimm fairy tales. Known for his ability to produce both eerie, almost feral trees, goblins, and assorted other ne'er-do-wells while at the same time bringing to life breathtakingly lovely fairies, princesses, and good children, Rackham's illustrations are still highly regarded and his illustrated books remain favourites.

___DESCRIPTION: Bound in coloured pictorial cardstock wraps with yapped edges depicting the piper and dancing mice, enclosed in decorative borders, olive decorated endpapers, half-title with a Rackham silhouette, colour frontis one of the four colour plates bound in throughout, with fourteen drawings in black-and-white including one double-page, illustrated title page in olive and black; octavo size (8 7/8" by 5 7/8"), pagination: [1-6] 7-44 [45]. In a dust jacket which mirrors the design on the front wrap, spine and back panel blank, price of "5/- net" at the bottom of the front flap, back flap blank.

___CONDITION: Volume is near fine, the wraps clean, the text block strong with solid hinges, the interior clean and bright, and entirely free of prior owner markings; minor bumping and sunning to the yapped edges, else fine. The dust jacket unclipped, mostly clean with a few light, stray spots and overall dustiness, free of tears; with minor overall edgewear and sunning to the spine.

___CITATION: Latimore & Haskell p. 71, Riall p. 186.

___POSTAGE: International customers, please note that additional postage may apply as the standard does not always cover costs; please inquire for details.

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