1933 Bayntun Binding- The Fables of De La Fontaine illustrated by Stephen Gooden

Author: Jean de La Fontaine. Translated into English verse by Edward Marsh. Illustrated by Stephen Gooden.
Title: The Fables of Jean de La Fontaine.
Publisher: London, William Heinemann Ltd., 1933. Printed at The Windmill Press, Kingswood, Surrey. First Illustrated Edition by Stephen Gooden.
Language: Text in English.
Size: 8 x 5.5 inches. 
Pages:  lxxi-469 pages. 
Binding: Fine and superb full polished tan calf binding, finely executed by Bayntun, Bath, England (binder’s stamp to front endpaper). The boards are bordered with an elegant gilt fillet, the spine richly gilt-decorated in compartments with gilt rules and floral devices, and with a contrasting red morocco spine label lettered in gilt. Gilt turn-ins with intricate floral tooling, marbled endpapers, and all edges gilt (hinges fine - as shown) under a protective removable mylar cover. A handsome, noble presentation binding in excellent condition.
Content: Near fine content (bright, tight and clean - as shown). Tight, square, and beautifully preserved throughout.
Illustrations: Complete, with twelve full-page reproductions from engravings by Stephen Gooden, each printed on special paper and facing its referenced text page (including “Death and the Woodman,” “Juno and the Peacock,” “The Old Man and the Three Youths,” etc.). The plates are sharply printed and retain excellent tonal depth.

The book: A refined 1933 English edition of La Fontaine’s celebrated Fables, here translated into verse by Edward Marsh and presented in an elegant private-press style printing. The collaboration between Marsh’s dignified poetic rendering and Stephen Gooden’s exquisitely engraved illustrations produces a volume of exceptional literary and artistic harmony. Gooden’s plates evoke both classical restraint and imaginative precision, underscoring the fables’ timeless moral wit, irony, and human insight.

This copy is elevated further by its luxury Bayntun binding, representing the finest traditions of English hand-binding: restrained design, precise tooling, and impeccable craftsmanship. As both a literary classic and an object of art, the volume stands as a distinguished collector’s example of early 20th-century fine book production.

The author: Jean de La Fontaine (1621–1695) is among the greatest writers of classical French literature. His Fables — inspired by Aesop and classical moral narratives yet deeply rooted in French social observation — reveal enduring truths about vanity, power, folly, wisdom, and human nature. Their poetic balance of humour, grace, and ethical insight has secured their place as a cornerstone of European moral and literary culture.

The illustrator: Stephen Gooden (1892–1955) was one of Britain’s finest 20th-century engravers, known for his meticulously detailed line work and refined classical sensibility. His interpretations of La Fontaine are widely regarded as among his most accomplished and expressive works.