The Green Fairy Book Andrew Lang Antique Fairy Tales 1895 illus H. J. Ford

Kitty's Notes:

This charming and handsome old book has had a life but is still robust enough to delight for perhaps another hundred years. The Andrew Lang Rainbow Fairy Story Books are probably the most famous collections of fairy tales of the 19th and Early 20th century including tales from the Brothers Grimm and other famous names. Stories such as 'The Three Little Pigs' that we are all familiar with from childhood were translated from the Spanish and Chinese by 'Nora', Andrew Lang's hardworking and intelligent wife. As was the way in the 19th century it was deemed more suitable to have the books in the name of a male author and editor but we now recognise the important contribution of his wife to these enchanting favourite fairytales and this marvellous and now highly sought after series of vibrantly coloured books. 'The Green Fairy Book' first published in 1892 was expected to be the last of the series of just four fairytale books but they were so adored by children and adults alike that we ended up with all the colours of the rainbow and more!

Extract from "The Green Fairy Book: 'Rosanella'":

"Now Paridamie had for a long time been friendly with King Dardodon, who was a most accomplished Prince, and whose court was the model of what a court should be. His Queen Balanice, was also very charming: indeed it is rare to find a husband and wife so perfectly of one mind about everything. They had one little daughter who they named 'Rosanella,' because she had a little pink rose printed upon her white throat. From her earliets infancy she had shown the most astonishing intelligence, and the courtiers knew her smart sayings by heart, and repeated them on all occasions. In the middle of the night following the assembly of fairies, Queen Balanice woke up with a shriek, and when her maids of honour ran to see what was the matter they found she had had a frightful dream. ' I thought,' said she, ' that my little daughter had changed into a bouquet of roses , and that as I held it in my hand a bird swooped down suddenly and snatched it from me and carried it away.'..."

BOOK HIGHLIGHTS:

• Hardback
• Illustrated
• Antique Children's Book
• Collectable

BOOK ERA:

• 19th Century Antique Books

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Andrew Lang (1844 - 1912) authored the series of Rainbow Coloured Fairy Books in collaboration with his wife Leonora Blanche (Alleyne) Lang (1851 - 1933).

Publisher: Longmans, Green and Co.
Date: 1895
Edition: Reprint
Binding: Hardback

This antique Fairy Story book from 1895 is in good robust condition if a little aged in places please take special note of the repair to the front hinge and first free endpaper and the rear endpaper is brittle and coming away.

The original black-coated endpapers in these early editions are always very fragile probably why they changed to plain paper in the later editions.

The emerald green silk binding with the gilt embellishment of a dragon to the front board is very good.

The binding is still fairly tight with gilt edges bright Webbing visible in a couple of places but overall robust and with no loose or missing pages.

There is intermittent light scattered foxing to pages.

A few of the line drawn illustrations have been enthusiastically hand coloured with watercolour to good effect by a skilled but childish hand.

The spine is in very good antique conditon not split just rubbed at the top and bottom and slight rubbing to extremities.

Exterior of the text block is dust stained with some light foxing.

Edges of front board are rubbed slightly to the extremities and bumped to the corners but the illustration to the front board is excellent.

Some of the line drawn illustrations have been hand coloured but well done.

A previous owner's name to the back of the book in childish ink.

Overall a good antique edition of this collectable Andrew Lang Fairy book worthy of preserving.

Please remember this pre-owned antique book has been loved before and condition is graded taking this into consideration.

*Vibrancy of item's photograph colours may vary due to your device screen or brightness settings.

PAGES: 368 pages

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