The Romance of King Arthur and His Knights of the Round Table Illustrated by Arthur Rackham [Large Paper Limited Edition of 250]

Malory, Sir Thomas; Pollard, Alfred W. (Preface)

Verlag: The Macmillan Company, 64-66 Fifth Avenue, New York, 1917

Beschreibung

Stated and hand-numbered in red at limitation page: "Of this large paper edition two hundred and fifty copies have been printed of which this is number: "109". Rare larger limited edition printed by MacMillan & Company of London. Oversize gift book design at apprx. 9" x 11 1/2" x 2" weighing nearly 4 1/2 lbs. Very stylish fountain pen signature inside cover at front pastedown: "John Jacob Astor, Christmas 1920." Intriguing association example acquired by prior collector from an estate descendent of the Astor family. Set in cover is a small printed Christmas card with classic carolling motif from New York business magnate Bradish Gaillard Johnson. Likely Gaillard gifted this volume to a young fatherless "Jakey." Prior collector also associates Gaillard Johnson with the Astors as family friends. The Astors were the or near the wealthiest American family in the ninetheenth century from the fur trade, railroad and ship construction, opium trade, real estate, etc. John Jacob Astor VI, or young "Jakey," was known as the Titanic baby as his father, the Colonel JJA IV (who opposed the institution of the Federal Reserve central bank in America), perished on the mythic unsinkable. John Pierpont Morgan infamously missed scheduled boarding in England. JJA VI's mother, Madeleine Astor, survived while five months pregnant with him and is portrayed in the 1997 film. Men and most onboard may have also been rescued, but for an insufficient number of life boats, etc. Publisher's morocco boards in white, gilt embossed cover and spine titles, moderate shelf, spine wear ripple, rub, nicking, small area of scrape. Bright gilt cover design features finely detailed bugler knight on regaled horseback; gilt spine design features titles with stylized royal lion vignette. Bright gilded smooth exterior top edge. Frontispiece color plate by Rackham: "How Arthur drew his sword Excalibur for the first time". Thick deckled leaves, near fine, bright. Bind fine, square; front hinge reinforced. Sharp near very good larger edition of this classic volume from the library of John Jacob Astor VI. Features sixteen tipped-in color plates in brilliant, subdued hues and seven in black & white by Arthur Rackham. Each color plate with fine tissue guards captioned in red. Additional partial-page imagery, headers, tailpieces, symbology and decoration throughout. Sir Thomas Malory (1405 - 1471) collected all the ancient tales of the mythical Arthur and published them under the title Le Morte D'Arthur. The characters are familiar: Lancelot and Guinevere, and Tristan and Isolde, here in the definitive account of the Arthurian legends. The vigorous, eloquent epic tale of valor is noted for having been written in the best English prose of the Fifteenth Century. Includes 5-page detailed glossary. Printed by R. & R. Clarke, Limited, Edinburgh. 509 pages. Insured post. Size: 4to - over 9¾" - 12" tall. Bestandsnummer des Verkäufers 022141

Bibliografische Details

Titel: The Romance of King Arthur and His Knights ...

Verlag: The Macmillan Company, 64-66 Fifth Avenue, New York

Erscheinungsdatum: 1917

Einband: Full-Leather

Illustrator: Rackham, Arthur

Zustand: Very Good

Auflage: First Edition.