Fairy Tales

London: Hodder and Stoughton Limited, 1924 A very good copy of the 1st edition - the 'edition du luxe' - in full gilt-decorated vellum binding, signed by Kay Nielsen. With 12 tipped-in colour plates, 16 full page black and white plates and numerous designs by Nielsen. This was Nielsen's third book illustration. He began the work in 1912 but the disruption caused by World War I meant that it was not published until 1924 - and although a beautiful production it could not afford the number of plates that embellished East of the Sun, West of the Moon, his previous work. The market for expensive illustrated gift books declined significantly after the War and Nielsen only illustrated two more works before moving to Copenhagen and working on set designs for the theatre. This book is number 119 of 500 printed. The vellum binding has bright illustration. It has some grubbiness and darkening to the spine; a slight bump to the bottom front corner; and slight marking to the back board, particularly the bottom corner. The spine is cocked to the front. Top page edges are gilt; side edge is untrimmed. The contents are in very bright and clean condition; occasional very light spotting to tissue guards. There is a slight crease to the tissue guard to the frontispiece and a small light brown area to the bottom margin of p 153 (lightly mirrored on 152). There is a small scuff and slight loss to the bottom of the rear free endpaper. A very nice copy.