Stories from the Pentamerone

London: Macmillan and Co., Limited, 1911. Limited Edition. Vellum. Near Fine. Goble, Warwick. One of 150 copies, the Edition de Luxe, quarto size, 316 pp. The text of this book is based on John Edward Taylor's translation from 1847. Giambattista Basile (1566-1632) was an Italian poet, courtier, and fairy tale collector. The earliest form of this work was published in 1634 and 1636 under a pseudonym, by his sister, in two volumes. It languished and then received attention when praised by the Brothers Grimm as the first "national" collection of fairy tales, and contains the earliest known versions of Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Snow White, and Rapunzel. His collection of stories became known as the Pentamerone because it was loosely modeled after the Decamerone of Boccaccio.

Warwick Goble (1862-1943) was an illustrator specializing in Japanese and Indian themes; his interest in Japanese style is evident in his work, and had an affect on later illustrators including Virginia Frances Sterrett. Among many other works, in his early career he was the first to illustrate H.G. Wells's The War of the Worlds. The editor, Edward Fairbrother Strange, worked at the Victoria and Albert Museum and was the author of numerous works on art and illustration, as well as contributing articles to the famous 11th edition of the Encyclopedia Britannica.

___DESCRIPTION: Deluxe binding of white vellum with gilt decoration on front, gilt lettering on front and spine, top edge gilt, fore- and bottom edges uncut, yellow ties, plain endpapers, title page in red and black. Thirty-two color illustrations by Goble tipped onto brown woven paper, tissue guards with black printing; quarto size (11.5" by 9"), pagination: [i-viii] ix-xii, 1-304.

___CONDITION: Internally the book is in fine condition, externally very good. The text block is solid, the pages are clean, the illustrations are perfect other a crease in the frontispiece which was likely done upon publication, all tissue guards are present and in perfect condition. Some restoration work to hinges was done by a professional conservationist, ribbon ties are new replacements.

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