WELL PRESERVED COPY OF DU MAURIER’S CAMELOT: A Legend of Camelot, Pictures and Poems.

Oblong quarto. 255 x 320 mm. (10 x 12 1/2 inches). [x], 95 leaves printed on rectos only. Full page and in text illustrations by George du Maurier, text and page decorations in red and black. Dark green cloth spine, over pale green paper boards, elaborately decorated with the title in orange letters outlined in gold, and a design of a full-length Excalibur in gilt and orange embossed on the dark green cloth spine; minor foxing to end sheets. Housed in the original box, corners cracked, and showing wear but intact, small piece missing at top of the cover.

Fine copy of the first edition of this compilation of Du Maurier's work, published in the form of a gift book and coffee table extravaganza. The introduction notes that most of the images and stories first appeared in Punch, except for the poem entitled, "A Lost Illusion". Included are Du Maurier's "Camelot", "The Fools Parade", "Poor Pussy's Nightmare", "Two Thrones" and other stories and images.

George Du Maurier, a French-Anglo cartoonists and writer was a highly successful story teller his work appeared in Punch from the 1860's to 1891. He focused much of his attention on the foibles of the various classes of people in Victorian England and was considered an astute observer of social tensions among the social strata of society. In his retirement he wrote several novel's including the extraordinarily successful Trilby and The Martian and other works that reflected the revival of the gothic in British literary culture.

This gift book is in extremely good condition, although the box could use some repair.