Complete deluxe limited editions set. by RACKHAM, Arthur - 1905–51

1905–51. IRVING, Washington. Rip Van Winkle. London: William Heinemann, 1905 Quarto. Original vellum, titles to spine and front board gilt, pictorial image blocked in gilt to front cover, brown endpapers, top edge gilt, others untrimmed, cream ribbon ties. Housed in a custom green cloth slipcase. Colour frontispiece and 49 colour plates mounted on brown paper with captioned tissue guards, black and white illustrations in the text, all by Rackham. In superb condition, with a touch of rubbing to spine gilt and minor spotting to endpapers, contents otherwise very clean. A fine, bright copy, vellum remarkably fresh. Signed limited edition, number 70 of 250 copies numbered and signed by the illustrator. This was the first book wholly illustrated by Rackham to be issued in a limited edition format and it immediately established him as the leading illustrator of lavishly produced gift books in the Edwardian era. In March 1905 Rackham's originals were exhibited at the Leicester Galleries, which led to this deluxe edition being fully subscribed before the exhibition had closed. The exhibition also attracted the attention of J. M. Barrie, who would commission Rackham's next book. Latimore & Haskell p. 26; Riall pp. 69–70. BARRIE, J. M. Peter Pan In Kensington Gardens (From "The Little White Bird"). London: Hodder & Stoughton, 1906 Quarto. Original vellum, titles to spine and front cover gilt, design blocked in gilt to front cover, map endpapers, top edge gilt, others untrimmed, yellow ribbon ties. Colour frontispiece and 49 colour plates mounted on brown paper with captioned tissue guards, black and white illustrations in the text, all by Rackham. An unusually beautiful copy, the occasional tiny spot of foxing to contents, else clean, in superb condition. First edition, signed limited issue, number 309 of 500 copies numbered and signed by the illustrator. After the enormous success of the play Peter Pan, which opened on 27 December 1904 and broke all previous theatrical records, Barrie sanctioned this publication, in collaboration with Rackham as illustrator. The text was extracted, with minor revisions, from Barrie's book-within-a-book in his London story-collection for adults, The Little White Bird (1902), and it was published specifically as a children's gift book. (The play remained unpublished until 1928.) Latimore & Haskell pp. 27–28; Riall p. 74. CARROLL, Lewis. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. With a Proem by Austin Dobson. London: William Heinemann; Doubleday, Page & Co., New York, 1907 Quarto. Original white cloth, spine and front cover lettered in gilt, design blocked in gilt to front cover, publisher's device in blind to rear cover, pictorial endpapers, top edge gilt. Housed in a custom cream cloth flat-backed folding box. Colour frontispiece and 12 colour plates with captioned tissue guards, black and white illustrations in the text, by Rackham. Spine gilt dulled, inner hinges neatly repaired, offsetting to endpapers, contents fresh and clean; a very good copy indeed. Deluxe limited edition, number 788 of 1,130 copies, of which 1,100 were for sale, with the last 30 reserved for presentation. Published when the book came out of copyright in 1907, this deluxe edition was issued unsigned, as Rackham was out of the country at the time. For the first time, Rackham's plates were distributed at the appropriate places throughout the text, rather than gathered together at the end as they had been in Rip Van Winkle (1905) and Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens (1906). Latimore & Haskell pp. 28–29; Riall pp. 77–78. INGOLDSBY, Thomas, pseud. of Richard Harris Barham. The Ingoldsby Legends or Mirth and Marvels By Thomas Ingoldsby Esqre. London: J. M. Dent & Co; E. P. Dutton & Co, New York, 1907 Quarto. Original vellum, titles and pictorial decoration to spine and front board gilt, dark green pictorial endpapers, top edge gilt, others untrimmed, yellow ribbon ties. Housed in a custom grey cloth slipcase. Colour frontispiece and 23 colour plates mounted on green paper with captioned tissue guards, black and white illustrations in the text, by Rackham. Bookplate of Agnes Marion Armitage and bookseller's ticket of Matthews & Brooke, Bradford, to front pastedown. Spine slightly dulled, a little inconsequential spotting to vellum, covers otherwise bright. An excellent copy, fresh and clean. Signed limited edition, number 71 of 560 copies signed by the illustrator, one of 500 for sale in England. Rackham's previous illustrated edition of The Ingoldsby Legends, published in 1898, had no deluxe signed issue. For this edition, it was revised and largely redrawn, so that "greater prominence could be given to the illustrations by better and larger reproductions, including a greater number of illustrations in colour" (Prefatory Note). Latimore & Haskell pp. 30–31; Riall p. 83. SHAKESPEARE, William. A Midsummer-Night's Dream. London: William Heinemann; Doubleday, Page & Co., New York, 1908 Quarto. Original vellum, titles to spine and front cover gilt, image blocked in gilt to front cover, brown endpapers, orange silk ties. Housed in a custom brown cloth slipcase. Colour frontispiece and 39 colour plates mounted on heavy brown paper, black and white illustrations in the text, all by Rackham. Slight abrasion to front pastedown from bookplate sometime removed, rubbing to endpapers, else a fine, clean copy. Signed limited edition, number 548 of 1,000 copies signed by the illustrator for sale in Great Britain and Ireland. Latimore & Haskell p. 32; Riall p. 87. LAMB, Charles & Mary. Tales from Shakespeare. London: J. M. Dent & Co.; E. P. Dutton, New York, 1909 Quarto. Original white cloth, titles to spine and front cover gilt, pictorial endpapers, top edge gilt, others untrimmed, original dark red ribbon ties, lacking one. Colour frontispiece and 12 colour plates mounted on buff paper inlaid in plain paper, black and white illustrations in the text, of which 2 are full-page, all by Rackham. A fine copy. Signed limited edition, number 386 of 571 copies signed by the illustrator. The deluxe edition contains an extra plate, "Puck" (p. 16), not included in the trade edition. Rackham had previously illustrated the work in 1899, but with no deluxe signed edition and the illustrations as uncoloured line-drawings; the publisher's prefatory Note states that the latter "have since been worked over, revised, and coloured by the artist, while some entirely new designs have been added". Latimore & Haskell pp. 33–34; Riall p. 90. SWIFT, Jonathan. Gulliver's Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World. London: J. M. Dent & Co.; E. P. Dutton & Co., New York, 1909 Quarto. Original white cloth, titles to spine and front cover gilt, pictorial endpapers, top edge gilt, others untrimmed, original dark red ties. Colour frontispiece and 12 colour plates mounted on buff paper inlaid in plain paper, black and white illustrations in the text, of which 2 are full-page, all by Rackham. A fine copy. Signed limited edition, number 139 of 750 copies signed by the illustrator for sale in England and America. This edition, uniform with Tales from Shakespeare of the same year, contains an extra colour plate not included in the trade edition, "The Yahoos", with the publisher's slip laid in (not the scene "The Lilliputian tailors measure Gulliver for a new suit of clothes" as noted by Riall). Latimore & Haskell pp. 32–33; Riall p. 91. LA MOTTE-FOUQUÉ, Friedrich Heinrich Karl, Freiherr de. Undine. Adapted from the German by W. L. Courtney. London: William Heinemann, 1909 Quarto. Original vellum, titles and decoration to spine gilt, pictorial block to front cover gilt, original yellow silk ties. Colour frontispiece and 14 colour plates mounted on thick brown paper, black and white illustrations in the text, by Rackham. A fine copy with the original ties. Deluxe edition, number 304 of 1,000 copies signed by the illustrator. Latimore & Haskell pp. 34–35; Riall pp. 93–94. GRIMM, [Jakob & Wilhelm]. The Fairy Tales of the Brothers Grimm. Translated by Mrs. Edgar Lucas. London: Constable and Company Ltd, 1909 Quarto. Original full vellum, titles and pictorial decoration to spine and front cover gilt, top edge gilt, others untrimmed, orange ribbon ties. Housed in a custom tan cloth slipcase, with silver block to match front cover design. Colour frontispiece and 39 colour plates mounted on plain paper, with captioned tissue guards, black and white illustrations in the text, all by Rackham. Bookplate of James Mann to front pastedown. Spine gilt very slightly rubbed, remaining bright, a little spotting to endpapers, else clean and fresh, in exceptionally nice condition. Signed limited edition, number 264 of 750 copies signed by the illustrator. Rackham's first version of Grimm's Fairy Tales, published in 1900, had no signed limited edition. This is a revised and enlarged edition with some new illustrations, as well as others redrawn and coloured. The translator, Mrs Edgar Lucas, was born Alice Erichsen, the daughter of Hermann Erichsen, a Danish businessman who had settled first in Newcastle upon Tyne, then in Upper Tooting, where Alice met her husband. She made successful translations from the Danish of Hans Christian Andersen and Henrik Pontoppidan. Her sister was the artist and illustrator Nelly Erichsen (1862–1918). Latimore & Haskell p. 34; Riall p. 97. WAGNER, Richard. The Rhinegold & the Valkyrie; [and] Siegfried and the Twilight of the Gods. Translated into English by Margaret Armour. [Collective title: The Ring of the Niblung; a Trilogy with a Prelude.] London: William Heinemann; Doubleday Page & Co., New York, 1910 & 1911 2 volumes, quarto. Original vellum, titles to spines and front covers gilt, pictorial images blocked to front covers gilt, top edges gilt, others untrimmed, yellow ribbon ties (renewed). Housed together in a custom green cloth flat-backed folding box. Colour frontispieces and 33 and 29 colour plates respectively (64 colour plates in all) mounted on thick brown paper, with captioned tissue guards, black and white illustrations in the text, all by Rackham. A fine set, with unusually clean vellum. Deluxe editions, each volume being one of 1,150 copies signed by the illustrator, of which these are both number 84. Latimore & Haskell p. 37; Riall pp. 103–4. AESOP. Aesop's Fables. A New Translation by V. S. Vernon Jones. With an Introduction by G. K. Chesterton. London: William Heinemann, 1912 Quarto. Original white buckram, titles and illustration to spine and front cover gilt, plain endpapers, top edge gilt, others untrimmed. Housed in the original pictorial cardboard box. Colour frontispiece and 12 colour plates mounted on brown paper, with captioned tissue guards, black and white illustrations in the text, by Rackham. Bookplate of Christopher Temple Emmet to the front pastedown, contemporary gift inscription to front free endpaper. Neat repair to front inner hinge, else a fine copy, superbly well-preserved with the original presentation box. Signed limited edition, number 1,389 of 1,450 copies signed by the illustrator, of which 250 were for the USA, 200 for Australia, and 1,000 for Great Britain and Ireland. Latimore & Haskell pp. 38–39; Riall pp. 111–12. BARRIE, J. M. The Peter Pan Portfolio. From Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens. New York: Brentano's, 1914 Folio. Original brown and yellow cloth, titles to spine and front board in yellow, silk ribbon ties renewed, brown endpapers. 12 tipped-in colour plates with printed tissue guards. Minor foxing to tissue guards, plates unaffected. A beautiful work, rare in such nice condition. First US edition, first printing, number 75 of 300 copies. Published to capitalise on the popularity of the stage production Peter and Wendy, it is the only suite of Rackham's plates to be issued in an oversize portfolio format, with 12 of the artist's personal favourites from Rackham's Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens reproduced at their original size. Of Rackham's designs Barrie wrote, "I like best of all the Serpentine with the fairies, and the Peter in his night-gown sitting in the tree. Next I would [sic] the flying Peters, the fairies going to the ball (as in the 'tiff' and the fairy on cobweb)—the fairies sewing the leaves with their sense of fun (the gayest thing this) and your treatment of snow" (Ray, 329). Barrie's comments may have influenced Rackham's selection, as this portfolio includes all the images he mentioned. It was originally published in the UK in the same year. Latimore & Haskell pp. 39-40; Riall p. 113. RACKHAM, Arthur. Mother Goose. The Old Nursery Rhymes. London: William Heinemann, 1913 Quarto. Original white cloth, titles and decoration to spine gilt, titles and pictorial block to front cover gilt, top edge gilt, others untrimmed. Colour frontispiece and 12 colour plates mounted on thick brown paper, with captioned tissue guards, black and white illustrations in the text, all by Rackham. Spine gilt rubbed, small mark to head of rear cover. An excellent, clean copy. Deluxe edition, number 232 of 1,100 copies signed by the illustrator for sale in Great Britain, Ireland and the Colonies, with an additional 30 copies reserved for presentation. Latimore & Haskell pp. 40–41; Riall pp. 115–16. RACKHAM, Arthur. Arthur Rackham's Book of Pictures. With an Introduction by Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch. London: William Heinemann, 1913 Quarto. Original white cloth, titles and decoration to spine and front cover gilt, front pastedown printed with a sketch of a bookplate by Rackham, top edge gilt, others untrimmed. Colour frontispiece and 43 colour plates mounted on thick brown paper, captioned tissue guards, black and white illustrations in the text, all by Rackham. Spine a little toned, some faint scattered foxing to contents, a near-fine copy. Signed limited edition, number 76 of 1,000 copies signed by the illustrator for sale in Great Britain, Ireland and the Colonies, with an additional 30 copies reserved for presentation. In a reversion to the earliest style of Rackham's deluxe illustrated books, the plates are gathered at the end of the volume. Latimore & Haskell pp. 41–42; Riall p. 118. DICKENS, Charles. A Christmas Carol. London: William Heinemann; J. B. Lippincott Co., New York, 1915 Quarto. Original vellum, titles and pictorial decoration to spine and front cover, pictorial endpapers, top edge gilt, others untrimmed, silk ribbon ties. Housed in a custom tan cloth slipcase. Colour frontispiece and 11 colour plates mounted on thick brown paper, with captioned tissue guards, black and white illustrations in the text, all by Rackham. A little foxing to endpapers, else a fine copy in bright vellum. Deluxe edition, number 336 of 500 copies signed by the illustrator for sale in Great Britain, Ireland, and Colonies, with an additional 25 copies reserved for presentation. Latimore & Haskell pp. 44–45; Riall pp. 124–25. The Allies' Fairy Book. With an Introduction by Edmund Gosse C.B. London: William Heinemann, [1916] Small quarto. Original blue cloth, titles to spine and front cover in gilt, pictorial design blocked in gilt to front cover, illustrated endpapers, top edge gilt, others untrimmed. Colour frontispiece and 11 colour plates mounted on thick brown paper with captioned tissue guards, black and white illustrations in the text, by Rackham. New York bookseller's ticket to front pastedown, ownership signature to front free endpaper. A fine copy in bright cloth, contents fresh and clean. Deluxe edition, number 94 of 525 copies signed by the illustrator, of which 500 were for sale. A collection of fairy tales from various countries – English, Scottish, Welsh, Irish, French, Italian, Portuguese, Russian, Serbian, and Belgian – intended to demonstrate the richness of the folklore of the Allies. Gosse's preface is dated August 1916. Latimore & Haskell pp. 45–46; Riall p. 128. GRIMM, [Jacob & Wilhelm]. Little Brother and Little Sister and Other Tales. London: Constable & Co Ltd, 1917 Quarto. Original grey cloth, titles to spine gilt, pictorial gilt titles on a white ground to front board, pictorial endpapers, top edge gilt, others untrimmed. Colour frontispiece and 12 colour plates mounted on heavy white paper with loose tissue guards, black and white illustrations in the text, by Rackham. A superb, sharp copy. Deluxe edition, number 460 of 525 copies signed by the illustrator; with the extra plate signed by the illustrator in its original printed envelope, a repeat of that facing p. 178 ("He hurried away with long strides"). Latimore & Haskell pp. 46–47; Riall p. 129. POLLARD, Alfred W. The Romance of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table. Abridged from Malory's Morte D'Arthur. London: Macmillan and Co., Limited, 1917 Quarto. Original vellum, titles and decoration to spine gilt, pictorial title block to front board gilt, top edge gilt, others untrimmed. Colour frontispiece and 15 colour plates mounted on heavy white paper with captioned tissue guards, black and white illustrations in the text, by Rackham. Touch of spotting to spine, else fine. A beautiful copy. Deluxe edition, number 344 of 500 copies signed by the illustrator. Latimore & Haskell pp. 47–48; Riall p. 130–31. STEEL, Flora Annie. English Fairy Tales. London: Macmillan and Co. Ltd, 1918 Quarto. Original vellum, titles to spine and front board gilt, vignette blocked in gilt to front board, illustrated endpapers, top edge gilt others untrimmed. Housed in a custom grey cloth slipcase. Colour frontispiece and 15 colour plates mounted on heavy off-white paper with captioned tissue guards, black and white illustrations in the text, by Rackham. A fine copy, vellum extraordinarily clean and bright, the only blemish a few faint spots of foxing to endpapers and fore edge, in superb condition. Deluxe edition, number 490 of 500 copies numbered and signed by the illustrator. Latimore & Haskell p. 48; Riall p. 132. SWINBURNE, Algernon Charles. The Springtide of Life: Poems of Childhood. With a preface by Edmund Gosse. London: William Heinemann, 1918 Quarto. Original quarter vellum, cream boards, titles to front board and spine in gilt, pictorial image blocked to front board in gilt, illustrated endpapers, top edge gilt others untrimmed. Colour frontispiece and 8 colour plates mounted on heavy brown paper with captioned tissue guards, black and white illustrations in the text, by Rackham. A fine, sharp copy, with just mild offsetting to endpapers; in beautiful condition. Deluxe edition, number 226 of 765 copies signed by the illustrator; this edition contains one plate more than the trade issue: the frontispiece depicting Swinburne as Pan addressing a group of children beneath a typically Rackham-esque tree. Latimore & Haskell pp. 48–49; Riall p. 133. EVANS, C. S. Cinderella. London: William Heinemann; Philadelphia, J. B. Lippincott Co, 1919 Quarto. Original vellum spine, cream-coloured covers, titles to front cover and spine gilt, illustration of Cinderella blocked to front cover gilt, green illustrated endpapers, top edge gilt. With the dust jacket. Decorative title page printed red, pale green and black, colour frontispiece mounted within decorative border, 7 full-page three-colour illustrations, full-page silhouette illustrations and decorations throughout, by Rackham. A fine, sharp copy with the dust jacket notably well-preserved. Rare in such lovely condition. Deluxe edition, number 69 of 325 copies on Japanese vellum; uncommon in the dust jacket and in such attractive condition. A further 525 copies were printed on English handmade paper. Included here is one full-page illustration that was not reproduced in the trade issue: a three-colour silhouette of Cinderella and the pumpkin (opposite chapter 1). Latimore & Haskell pp. 49–50; Riall pp. 134–35. Some British Ballads. London: William Heinemann, 1919 Quarto. Original cream cloth, vellum spine, titles to spine and front cover gilt, vignette blocked in gilt to front covers, top edge gilt. Housed in a custom green cloth slipcase. Tipped-in colour frontispiece and 15 colour plates mounted on white paper with captioned tissue guards, black and illustrations in the text, by Rackham. A fine, bright copy. Deluxe edition, number 527 of 575 copies signed by the illustrator. Latimore & Haskell pp. 50–51; Riall p. 137. STEPHENS, James. Irish Fairy Tales. London: Macmillan & Co. Ltd, 1920 Quarto. Original quarter vellum, cream-coloured covers, titles to spine and front cover gilt, image blocked in gilt to front board, top edges gilt, others untrimmed. With the dust jacket (a red variant not noted by Riall). Colour frontispiece and 15 colour plates mounted on heavy cream-coloured paper with captioned tissue guards, black and white illustrations in the text, by Rackham. A fine copy, rare in such bright condition, with the scarce dust jacket, some loss to head of spine, tape repairs to verso, still bright. Deluxe edition, one of 520 unnumbered copies signed by the illustrator. Latimore & Haskell pp. 52–53; Riall p.138. EVANS, C. S. The Sleeping Beauty. London: William Heinemann, 1920 Quarto. Original quarter vellum, cream-coloured boards, gilt titles to spine, titles and decoration to front board gilt, green pictorial endpapers, top edge gilt, others untrimmed. Three-colour frontispiece and title page within pictorial borders, one colour plate mounted within a silhouette border, 3 double-page three-colour silhouette illustrations, 2 full page three-colour silhouette illustrations, 8 single-page silhouettes and drawings in the text, by Rackham. A beautiful, sharp copy. Signed limited edition, number 468 of 625 copies signed by the illustrator and printed on English handmade paper. This edition has an extra silhouette drawing in colour not seen in the trade edition and an extra full-page three-colour silhouette illustration not present in the trade edition. Latimore & Haskell pp. 51–52; Riall pp. 141–42. MILTON, John. Comus. London: William Heinemann, [1921] Quarto. Original quarter vellum, cream boards, titles to spine and front cover gilt, image blocked to front cover gilt, pale blue pictorial endpapers, top edge gilt, others untrimmed. Housed in a custom green quarter morocco fleece lined solander box by Zaehnsdorf, front cover stamped to match the front board. Colour frontispiece and 23 coloured plates mounted on heavy brown paper with captioned tissue guards, black and white illustrations in the text, by Rackham. Very slight toning to boards, else a near-fine, partially unopened copy. Deluxe edition, number 354 of 550 copies signed by the illustrator. Latimore & Haskell pp. 54–55; Riall p. 143. PHILLPOTTS, Eden. A Dish of Apples. London: Hodder & Stoughton, 1921 Small quarto. Original cream-coloured cloth, titles to spine and front cover gilt, pictorial image to front cover blocked in gilt, top edge gilt, others untrimmed, pictorial endpapers. Housed in a custom grey cloth slipcase. Colour frontispiece and 2 colour plates mounted on cream-coloured paper with tissue guards, black and white illustrations in the text, by Rackham. Bookplate of Agnes Marion Armitage to front pastedown. Spine a touch toned, else a fine, bright copy. Deluxe edition, number 17 of 500 copies signed by both the author and the artist. Latimore & Haskell p. 54; Riall p. 144. HAWTHORNE, Nathaniel. A Wonder Book. London: Hodder & Stoughton Ltd, [1922] Quarto. Colour frontispiece and 15 colour plates mounted on heavy off-white paper with captioned tissue guards, 8 three-colour full-page illustrations and black and white decorations in the text, by Rackham. Colour frontispiece and 15 colour plates mounted heavy off-white paper with captioned tissue guards, 8 three-colour full-page illustrations and black and white decorations in the text, by Rackham. Faint ownership inscription to front pastedown. A clean, bright copy in particularly nice condition. First edition, signed limited issue. Number 293 of 600 copies signed by the illustrator. Latimore & Haskell p. 55; Riall p. 146. MORLEY, Christopher. Where the Blue Begins. London: William Heinemann Ltd, [1925] Quarto. Original black cloth spine, cream-coloured covers, titles to spine gilt, illustrated endpapers, top edge gilt, others untrimmed. Colour frontispiece and 3 colour plates, black and white illustrations in the text, by Rackham. Very slight sunning to spine and top edge of front board, else a fine, sharp copy. Deluxe edition, number 140 of 175 copies signed by the illustrator. Latimore & Haskell pp. 60–61; Riall p. 154. BIANCO, Margery Williams. Poor Cecco. New York: George H. Doran Company, 1925 Quarto. Original quarter vellum, gilt-lettered black morocco label, blue boards. With the publisher's card slipcase. Colour frontispiece and 6 colour plates mounted and with captioned tissue guards, black and white illustrations in the text, by Rackham. A fine, bright copy. Deluxe edition, number 45 of 105 copies signed by the author. Unlike many of Rackham's deluxe editions this one was not signed by him, nor was it issued in the UK in a deluxe version. This is the rarest of all Rackham limited editions. Latimore & Haskell pp. 59–60; Riall p. 155. SHAKESPEARE, William. The Tempest. London: William Heinemann Ltd; New York, Doubleday, Page & Company, [1926] Quarto. Original quarter japon, titles to spine gilt, cream-coloured covers, title and mermaid design to front cover gilt, top edge gilt, others untrimmed. With the dust jacket. Housed in a custom blue full morocco slipcase with blue cloth chemise. Colour frontispiece and 20 colour plates mounted on the same paper as the letterpress, black and white illustrations in text, by Rackham. A pristine copy in the stunningly well-preserved dust jacket. Deluxe edition, number 361 of 520 copies signed by the illustrator; following the half-title is an extra plate ("Sea-nymphs hourly ring his knell"), not present in the trade edition. The dust jacket is particularly scarce and is not noted by Latimore & Haskel; Riall does note it but fails to mention that it carries a different price from the trade edition: "Three / Guineas / net", as opposed to "21 s. / net". Latimore & Haskell pp. 61–62; Riall p. 161. IRVING, Washington. The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. London: George G. Harrap & Co. Ltd, 1928 Small quarto. Original vellum, titles to spine and front cover gilt, top edge gilt, others untrimmed, pictorial endpapers. With the original cardboard box Colour frontispiece and 7 colour plates mounted on the same paper as the letterpress with captioned paper guards, black and white illustrations in the text, by Rackham. An exceptionally fine copy, complete with the rare original box, with the copy number noted in manuscript on the printed paper label. Deluxe edition, number 154 of 250 copies signed by the illustrator. Latimore & Haskell pp. 63–64; Riall pp. 164–165. GOLDSMITH, Oliver. The Vicar of Wakefield. London: George G. Harrap & Company Limited, 1929 Small quarto. Original vellum, gilt title to spine and front cover, triple rule to front cover, top edge gilt, others untrimmed, pictorial endpapers. With the original cardboard box. Colour frontispiece and 12 colour plates, black and white illustrations in the text, by Rackham. Bookplate of Dorothy Allsopp to front free endpaper, else a fine, bright copy in the notably well-preserved publihser's presentation box, with the copy number noted in manuscript on the printed paper label. Deluxe edition, number 481 of 575 copies signed by the illustrator. Latimore & Haskell p. 65; Riall p. 170. WALTON, Izaak. The Compleat Angler. London: George G. Harrap & Co Ltd, 1931 Small quarto. Original vellum, titles to spine and front cover gilt, three-line gilt border on front cover, top edge gilt, others untrimmed, pictorial endpapers. Housed in the original cardboard slipcase (split along one joint). Colour frontispiece and 11 coloured plates with captioned tissue guards, black and white illustrations in the text, by Rackham. A fine copy, sharp and fresh, preserved in the publisher's hand-numbered slipcase. Deluxe edition, number 637 of 775 copies signed by the illustrator; this copy with a Christmas card from the Rackhams mounted to the front pastedown. Latimore & Haskell pp. 66–67; Riall p. 175. DICKENS, Charles. The Chimes. Introduction by Edward Wagenknecht. London: Limited Editions Club, 1931 Quarto. Original tan cloth, titles to spine gilt, bells and imps design to front cover in gilt and black, pictorial endpapers. Housed in a custom tan cloth slipcase. Black and white frontispiece, black and white illustrations in the text, by Rackham. A fine copy. Deluxe edition, number 94 of 1,500 copies signed by the illustrator. This is the only edition of this title to feature Rackham's illustrations. Latimore & Haskell p. 67; Riall p. 173. MOORE, Clement C. The Night Before Christmas; [together with] RUSKIN, John. The King of the Golden River; [and] ROSSETTI, Christina. Goblin Market; [and] BROWNING, Robert. The Pied Piper of Hamelin. London: George G. Harrap & Co Ltd, 1931–4 Together 4 works, octavo. Original limp vellum, titles to front cover gilt, top edge gilt, others untrimmed, pictorial endpapers. With the original slipcases (some with repairs), hand-numbered labels to spines (that of Rossetti on the end). King of the Golden River housed in a custom mustard yellow morocco slipcase and matching chemise. Each work with colour frontispiece and 3 colour plates, black and white illustrations in the text, by Rackham. A fine set, rarely found in such beautiful condition. Deluxe editions, each signed by the illustrator: Moore, number 44 of 550 copies; Ruskin, number 281 of 570 copies; Rossetti, number 16 of 410 copies; Browning, number 22 of 410 copies. These four shorter books, published annually by Harrap in matching formats, both in deluxe and trade editions, reflected a new format for Rackham's work, and alternated with large books more in keeping with the old style of the classic deluxe gift book. Latimore & Haskell p. 66, 67, 69, 71: Riall pp. 174, 176, 179, 186. ANDERSEN, Hans. Fairy Tales. London: George G. Harrap & Co. Ltd, 1932 Quarto. Original vellum, titles and decoration to spine gilt, three-line gilt border enclosing titles to front cover gilt, top edge gilt, others untrimmed, pictorial endpapers. With the original glassine and the publisher's slipcase (hand-numbered label to top edge). Housed in a custom grey cloth flat-backed folding box. Colour frontispiece and 11 colour plates with captioned tissue guards, black and white illustrations in the text, by Rackham. A fine copy, some light spotting to verso of frontispiece, stunningly well-preserved with the original glassine and publisher's box. Deluxe edition, number 346 of 525 copies signed by the illustrator. Latimore & Haskell p. 68; Riall p. 177. The Arthur Rackham Fairy Book. A Book of Old Favourites with New Illustrations. London: George G. Harrap & Co. Ltd, 1933 Octavo. Original vellum, titles and decoration to spine gilt, front cover lettered in gilt within three-line gilt border, top edge gilt, others untrimmed, pictorial endpapers. With the original cardboard slipcase (neatly repaired). Colour frontispiece and 7 colour plates, black and white illustrations in the text, by Rackham. A little faint spotting to rear cover, else a fine, fresh copy. Deluxe edition, number 308 of 460 copies signed by the illustrator. Latimore & Haskell pp. 69–70; Riall p. 182. POE, Edgar Allan. Tales of Mystery and Imagination. London: George G. Harrap & Co Ltd, 1935 Quarto. Original vellum, titles and decorations to front cover and spine gilt, top edge gilt, pictorial endpapers. Housed in a custom green quarter morocco and cloth slipcase. Colour frontispiece and 11 mounted colour plates with captioned tissue guards, black and white illustrations in the text, by Rackham. Spine a little toned, else a fine, sharp copy in bright vellum. Signed limited edition, number 186 of 460 copies signed by the illustrator. Latimore & Haskell pp. 72–73; Riall p. 189. IBSEN, Henrik. Peer Gynt. A Dramatic Poem. London: George G. Harrap & Co Ltd, 1936 Quarto. Original vellum, gilt lettered and decorated spine and front cover, top edge gilt, others untrimmed, pictorial endpapers. With the publisher's card slipcase (with hand-numbered label). Colour frontispiece and 11 colour plates mounted on heavy white paper with captioned tissue guards, black and white illustrations in the text, by Rackham. A very fine copy, in pristine condition, in the well-preserved publisher's slipcase. Deluxe edition, number 339 of 460 copies signed by the illustrator. Latimore & Haskell p. 74; Riall p. 192. GRAHAME, Kenneth. The Wind in the Willows. With an Introduction by A. A. Milne. New York: The Limited Editions Club, 1940 Quarto. Original yellow quarter cloth, spine lettered in gilt, patterned paper-backed sides, top edge gilt, others untrimmed. With the publisher's green card slipcase, spine lettered in gilt (neat repairs at couple of joints). Colour frontispiece and 15 colour plates by Rackham mounted on heavy off-white paper. A fine copy, partially unopened. First Rackham edition, number 358 of 2,020 copies signed by the designer Bruce Rogers. Perhaps the most attractive of all the editions of Grahame's classic, the production merges the typography and design of Bruce Rogers with the artwork of Arthur Rackham, both leading figures in their respective fields. This was the final book Rackham illustrated, as he died shortly before publication. Riall p. 197–98. GRAHAME, Kenneth. The Wind in the Willows. With an Introduction by A. A. Milne. London: Methuen & Co., 1951 Quarto. Original white sheep, titles to spine in gilt, top edge gilt, others untrimmed. With the original slipcase. With 12 mounted plates in colour with tissue guards and numerous line drawings in the text. A fine copy. Deluxe edition, number 192 of 500 copies. This is the one-hundredth edition of Grahame's timeless classic, which was originally published in 1908, with just a frontispiece, by Graham Robertson. Together 45 individually published works. A superb collection, in fine or near-fine condition, many with original slipcases. Rare in such beautiful condition.