Arthur Rackham - The Fairy Book - 1949

A charming 1949 edition of The Arthur Rackham Fairy Book: A Book of Old Favourites with New Illustrations, published in London by George G. Harrap & Co., featuring a selection of traditional fairy tales illustrated by Arthur Rackham (1867–1939), one of the most celebrated illustrators of the Golden Age of British book illustration. Bound in the publisher’s original red cloth with decorative gilt and black pictorial designs to the front cover and black lettering to the spine, this attractive volume retains its distinctive period appearance. The book includes Rackham’s characteristic black-and-white illustrations alongside beautifully reproduced colour plates, including a coloured frontispiece.

Originally published in 1933, The Arthur Rackham Fairy Book brings together beloved traditional stories, including Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Jack and the Beanstalk and other classic fairy tales. Rackham’s illustrations are particularly admired for their imaginative compositions, intricate linework, atmospheric woodland settings and distinctive interpretations of magical creatures and fairy-tale characters. This posthumous edition preserves the artistic character of the original publication and offers an appealing example of Rackham’s enduring influence on illustrated children’s literature.

Condition: Good condition, with some age-related wear to the original red cloth binding, including rubbing to the corners, edges and spine extremities, minor soiling and cloth fading. A small hole or area of loss to the front cover has undergone localised conservation using age-compatible paper and starch-based adhesive, intended to stabilise the damaged area and reduce its visual prominence. On two leaves there is sign of old tape, but leaves have been stablized and binding is solid. Internally, the pages show some age-related toning, scattered foxing and occasional marks, particularly to the preliminary leaves. The illustrated contents appear generally well preserved in the photographs. No dust jacket is present. Please examine the accompanying photographs carefully for a detailed impression of the book’s condition.