The Rhinegold and The Valkyrie

The Rhinegold and The Valkyrie by Richard Wagner

London: William Heinemann, [1910] First trade edition, first impression. Sized 25.2 x 19.6 cm. Pp. ix, 159. With thirty-four full-page illustrations in colour by Arthur Rackham, mounted on tan paper and covered with tissue guards, and fourteen drawings in black and white. Translated by Margaret Armour. In original dust wrapper. Bound in brown buckram with pictorial stamping on the cover and spine in gold and gold lettering; coloured top edge. Pictorial endpapers. Complete with the original advertising poster for the exhibition of watercolours.

Condition

Unfortunate water damage and associated wear to boards and spine which resulted in many patches of discolouration. Some dark marks to boards as well, but gilt work remains visible and largely unworn. Bumping to spine tips and corners. Spine a little cocked and page block ever-slightly-warped with a little foxing. Joints in OK condition, but rear hinge cracked with netting exposed. A few other cracks throughout, together with one loose tissue guard and a few other pages only partially detached (not fully and not loose). Endpapers, particularly front ones, are water damaged and significantly creased. Brown tape applied between FFEP and next blank endpaper, as well as inscription to blank FFEP. There is a bit of foxing and offsetting throughout and a few chips to pages. All plates in great condition and present, as called for.

In a poor dust wrapper that misses about a third of its spine, shows significant chipping to extremities, small portions of loss to the right side of the front panel, a tear to rear panel, and a few unsightly stained. Spine somewhat darkened. Now placed in a removable, protective sleeve of archival quality.

Together with the original advertising poster for the exhibition of watercolours, loosely inserted in the book, and showing a crease, and some offsetting and foxing.

All in all, not a fine example by any means, but one that is complete with all plates and content present, in the rarer, albeit worn, original dust wrapper.