Richard Wagner / Arthur Rackham - EO; The Rhinegold & The Valkyrie - 1910

Richard Wagner / Arthur Rackham – The Rhinegold & The Valkyrie – First Edition – 1910 –
34 Colour Plates

Very beautiful example of the first edition of 1910 illustrated by Arthur Rackham of The Rhinegold & The Valkyrie by Richard Wagner, published in London by William Heinemann and translated into English by Margaret Armour.

The work brings together The Rhinegold (Das Rheingold) and The Valkyrie (Die Walküre), the first two parts of the famous Wagnerian cycle Der Ring des Nibelungen.

This edition is particularly sought after for Arthur Rackham's illustrations, a major figure of the Golden Age of British illustration. His interpretation of Wagner’s mythological universe ranks among his best-known works: gods, giants, Walksures (Walkyries), fantastical creatures and Nordic landscapes are treated in his instantly recognizable style.

The volume includes 34 color plates tipped in, including the frontispiece, accompanied by its titled guard sheets, as well as numerous black-and-white illustrations and ornaments in the text.

Very beautiful publisher’s brown cloth binding, richly decorated and with gold title on the front cover and spine, with illustrated endpapers.

Bibliographic characteristics:
Author: Richard Wagner
Illustrator: Arthur Rackham
Title: The Rhinegold & The Valkyrie
Translation: Margaret Armour
Publisher: William Heinemann
Place of publication: London
Year: 1910
Edition: first edition
Impression: second impression, November 1910
Language: English
Pagination: IX + 159 pages
Illustrations: 34 color plates tipped in, with their elaborately titled guards
Binding: brown publisher’s cloth decorated in gold
Dimensions: approximately 26 × 20 cm

Condition: Book in very good overall condition, particularly well preserved for a book published in 1910.
The original binding is solid and presents a handsome appearance, with its gilded decorations and titles clearly visible. The interior is clean and well kept.
The 34 color plates are present. All protected guards with captions placed in front of the illustrations are also present, complete and uncrumpled.
No cuts, tears or annotations. Pages and illustrations are very well preserved, with only minor time-related traces consistent with the book’s age.
The photographs are an integral part of the description and allow precise assessment of the book’s condition.

A very beautiful copy, complete with its plates and guards, of this important first illustrated edition by Arthur Rackham.

Will be shipped in careful, sturdy, trackable packaging."