Tale of Lohengrin, The

London: G.G. Harrap, 1913. A Superb Early Bayntun Inlaid Binding
On One of Willy Pogany's Masterpieces

BAYNTUN, binder. POGANY, Willy (illustrator). WAGNER, Richard. ROLLESTON, T.W. The Tale of Lohengrin, Knight of the Swan after the Drama of Richard Wagner by T.W. Rolleston. Presented by Willy Pogany. London: G.G. Harrap, n .d. [1913].

First trade edition. Quarto (10 x 7 1/4 inches; 254 x 184 mm.). 192 unnumbered pages. Eight tipped-in color plates including frontispiece with original tissue guard, numerous full page color illustrations, calligraphic text, head- tailpieces; an image on every page. Printed on heavy gray stock. Some minor discoloration to first three and last three leaves, otherwise fine.

Bound ca. 1930 by Bayntun of Bath (stamp-signed in gilt on front turn-in). Full black morocco, covers with single gilt rule, front cover with multi color morocco inlays reproducing the illustration on page [53]. Spine with five raised bands, decoratively tooled and lettered in gilt in compartments. Decorative gilt board edges, gilt ruled turn-ins, blue cockerel endpapers, all edges gilt. Housed in the original blue cloth over boards clamshell case.

The design on the front cover is taken from the illustration on p. [53].

"And then aloud spake she-
"O King, a champion waits
the hoar
To take my part with godlike power,
And my Deliverer be.

"In dreams I saw him; silver-bright
His jewell'd armour shone.
His sword was as a beam of light,
His crest a silver swan.

"He is my Lord, he is my King.
And his till death am I.
Come, Victor, Lord, the hoar is near-
Oh hear thy poor maid's cry!"

William Andrew ("Willy") Pogany (born Vilmos Andreas Pogány) (August 1882 - 30 July 1955) was a prolific Hungarian illustrator of children's and other books. Pogany's best known works consist of illustrations of classic myths and legends done in the Art Nouveau style. He also worked as an art director on several Hollywood films, including Fashions of 1934 and Dames.

The publication of Pogány's Lohengrin was the final act in his trilogy of masterworks focused on Wagner's Germanic tales, and one of the quintet that is considered his finest work. Pogány clearly approached the commission to illustrate Lohengrin as an opportunity to improve and extend techniques that he had developed through his preceding work, particularly The Rubáiyat of Omar Khayyám, The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, Tannhäuser and Parsifal, the other four books that immortalized his career as an illustrator. That commitment to ongoing innovation resulted in an incredible suite of illustrations, including color lithographs, monotone and marginal illustrations and the delightful tipped-in color plates (produced with a four-color process) included in Lohengrin. Themes of medieval chivalry, erotic love and moral tests are illustrated in a lavish fashion by Pogány with an outstanding use of iconography, form and color.'.