1894 Rare First Edition - The Yellow Fairy Book by Andrew Lang, Illustrated
Author: Edited by Andrew Lang. Illustrated by H.J. Ford.
Title: The Yellow Fairy Book.
Publisher: London: Longmans, Green, and Co., and New York: 15 East 16th Street, 1894. First Edition.
Language: Text in English.
Size: 7.5 x 5 inches.
Pages: xvi-321 pages.
Binding: Attractive and very good, handsomely bound in early 20th-century half tan morocco over marbled boards, spine with raised bands, gilt floral tools in compartments, and gilt lettering “THE YELLOW FAIRY BOOK – ANDREW LANG.” Matching marbled endpapers (hinges fine, overall slightly worn and scuffed - as shown) under a protective removable mylar cover. Upper edge gilt. A solid, well-preserved binding.
Content: Very good content (bright, tight and clean, some light foxing and toning - as shown).
Illustrations: Profusely illustrated throughout by Henry Justice Ford, including a full-page frontispiece and additional illustrations within the text. Ford’s fine line work captures the charm and fantastical atmosphere that made the Fairy Book series iconic. (Complete).
Estimate: (USD 250– 300).
The book: First published in 1894, The Yellow Fairy Book forms part of Andrew Lang’s celebrated Fairy Book series—an enduring anthology that brought together tales from around the world in elegantly edited English form. This volume includes beloved classics such as The Six Swans, The Story of the Emperor’s New Clothes, Thumbelina, The Tinder-Box, and The Steadfast Tin-Soldier, as well as lesser-known gems like The Dragon and His Grandmother and The Snow-daughter and the Fire-son.
The author: Andrew Lang (1844–1912) was a Scottish poet, folklorist, and literary critic whose Fairy Book series (1889–1910) became one of the most influential collections of world folklore for children and scholars alike. His elegant prose and deep interest in myth and comparative literature made him a cornerstone in the late Victorian revival of folklore studies.
The illustrator: Henry Justice Ford (1860–1941), an English artist and illustrator, collaborated with Lang on nearly all the Fairy Books. His detailed and imaginative pen drawings are now considered classics of Golden Age illustration, evoking both medieval romance and fin-de-siècle whimsy.