1894 Rare First Edition - A Farm in Fairyland by Laurence Housman, Illustrated

The 1894 first American edition of Laurence Housman’s A Farm in Fairyland, written and illustrated by the author, in its original pictorial cloth binding.

Author: Laurence Housman.
Title: A Farm in Fairyland.
Publisher: New York, Dodd, Mead & Co., 1894.
Edition: First American edition.
Language: English.
Pages: 160.
Size: 7.5 × 5 inches.
Binding: Original tan pictorial cloth, with dark-blue Art Nouveau design on the front board, gilt lettering on the spine and publisher’s device at its foot; top edge gilt. Binding firm, with light wear and toning to the cloth and some fading to the spine, as shown. Removable protective Mylar cover.
Content: Pages generally clean, with light age toning and occasional minor foxing.
Illustrations: Thirteen full-page black-and-white illustrations by Laurence Housman, together with a pictorial title page and the original cover design.

Estimate: USD 550–600.

The book: A Farm in Fairyland comprises twelve original fairy tales by Laurence Housman, including “Rocking-Horse Land,” “Japonel,” “The Green Bird,” and “The Shadow-Weavers.” Published in 1894, the book combines Housman’s writing with his own illustrations and decorative designs.

The thirteen full-page illustrations, pictorial title page and decorated cloth cover draw on the intricate linework and stylized natural forms associated with late-Victorian Art Nouveau book design. The original binding forms part of the volume’s coordinated visual presentation.

The author and illustrator: Laurence Housman (1865–1959) was an English writer, playwright, poet, illustrator and activist. His publications include fairy tales, drama and poetry, alongside his work in book illustration and design.

During the 1890s, Housman produced illustrated books distinguished by detailed pen work, decorative foliage and influences from medieval and Pre-Raphaelite art. In A Farm in Fairyland, he was responsible for both the text and its visual treatment.