Grimm's Fairy Tales

“All at once the door opened and an old, old Woman, supporting herself on a crutch, came hobbling out.”

The Fairy Tales of the Brothers Grimm. GRIMM, Jacob; GRIMM, Wilhelm. London: Constable & Company Ltd., 1909. First Arthur Rackham revised and enlarged edition, offered here finely rebound in the finest materials, [together with] an Autograph Letter Signed and handwritten by the artist.

262 x 204 mm; xv, 325 numbered pages. First revised and enlarged edition, expanded with many additional colour plates and others redrawn and coloured, and reprinted from the 1900 edition with added illustrations and larger pages. Copiously illustrated with forty full-page illustrations in colour mounted on white paper, each with a captioned tissue guard, fifty-five drawings in black and white, and illustrated endpapers (herewith retained).

Recently rebound in full chocolate-brown (dark gingerbread) leather by the talented Rosy Gray of Black Cat Bindery, a traditional craft bookbindery based in the heart of Somerset, UK. The covers feature delicate leather onlays depicting sweet Hänsel and Grethel on the rear board — the two children standing close together and gazing fearfully ahead — while the old crone, stooped and menacing with her crutches, appears on the front board. The figures are centred within blind-embossed twin-ruled borders and faithfully echo Arthur Rackham’s original illustration (“All at once the door opened and an old, old Woman, supporting herself on a crutch, came hobbling out”). The spine is gilt-lettered using a facsimile of the original typeface, preserving the character of the publisher’s design. Top edge red-stained, now worn and intentionally left so to preserve a sense of the book’s age and character. The original endpapers have been preserved and carefully repaired where necessary, and retained. Turn-ins with blind twin-ruling. Binder’s stamp to the foot of the rear cover. Hand-sewn headbands in three coloured threads and a deep amber silk marker ribbon. Three captioned tissue guards were lacking and have been sympathetically replaced with new tissues, printed with the same captions in a similar style. A very handsome and imaginative binding, and definitely one of this bookseller’s personal favourites.

Housed in a beautiful clamshell case covered in brown cloth with crushed oatmeal silk sides, and lined with soft suedel. The front side of the clamshell is embossed with one of Rackham's small goblins, and the spine is embossed in gilt with the same facsimile typeface as the book's spine. 

Accompanied by an Autograph Letter Signed “Arthur Rackham” on printed letterhead ("Stilegate, Limpsfield, Surrey"), written on both sides of one sheet. The letter is presumably written to Mrs British Artist Isabel Codrington Pyke-Nott, wife of renowned art critic Paul Konody and mother of Pauline Evelyn Konody (lifelong friend of Dame Laura Knight and Arthur Rackham). This letter came to us as a larger bundle of letters and correspondence between Rackham and members of the family, from the family's estate. An ALS on a single bifolium (one sheet folded once to form four pages), written on the first and last pages, the remaining pages blank. Light creasing along the central fold, a few small rust-coloured marks and minor spotting to the upper margin, and faint handling wear. Writing clear and fully legible. Overall very good. The letter is housed in a portfolio bound in cloth and lined with suede, with silk ties to one side and embossed to front with another one of Rackham's goblins, this one more animated, with pointed ears and outstretched arms, as if beckoning or presenting something.

Condition Report

This copy has been extensively restored from a very poor state, with considerable effort devoted by the binder to the restoration and preservation of the original text block, including numerous paper repairs and the replacement of damaged tissue guards. Some foxing to the closed text block and preliminaries. Occasional light staining, finger marks, and smudging throughout, largely confined to the page extremities, with contents (including illustrations) clear and legible. A few small marginal chips and general age-toning to the paper. Very small rubbed marks to the plates facing pages 2 and 18, and minor marginal creasing to plates opposite pages 34, 58, 66, 74, 90, 94, 284, and 286. Three captioned tissue guards, too damaged to retain, have been sympathetically replaced with new tissue guards printed with the same captions in a similar style. The original endpapers have been preserved, carefully repaired where necessary, and retained. Externally fine with just the top edge wear noted. Housed together with a fine portfolio in a fine clamshell case.

A really beautiful production featuring Rosy Gray's wonderful onlay work.