1905 First Edition - The Red Romance Book by Andrew Lang, Illustrated by HJ Ford
Author: Edited by Andrew Lang. Illustrated by H. J. Ford.
Title: The Red Romance Book.
Publisher: London, Longmans, Green, and Co., 1905.
Language: Text in English.
Size: 7.5" x 5".
Pages: xii-372 pages.
Binding: Attractive and good publisher’s original red pictorial cloth binding, richly gilt-stamped on the front cover with a knight and dragon design by H. J. Ford, and gilt titles and vignette to the spine (hinges fine, overall slightly worn and scuffed - as shown) under a protective removable mylar cover. All edges gilt.
Content: Very good content (bright, tight and clean, rare light foxing and toning - as shown, neat 1905 gift inscription on the half-title - as shown).
Illustrations: Profusely illustrated throughout with eight full-page color plates and numerous black-and-white illustrations by Henry Justice Ford, including in-text vignettes and full-page engravings that capture the spirit of medieval romance, legend, and adventure.
Estimate: (USD 250– 300).
The book: A superb Edwardian edition of The Red Romance Book, part of Andrew Lang’s celebrated “Colour Fairy Book” series, which captivated generations of readers with its blend of myth, folklore, and adventure. Published in 1905, this volume gathers tales of heroism and enchantment from ancient and medieval sources — The Song of Roland, Cupid and Psyche, The Adventures of Sir Bevis of Hampton, The Knight of the Sun, and many others — retold in Lang’s accessible yet lyrical prose. This copy’s brilliant gilt-stamped dragon design and vivid illustrations by H. J. Ford epitomize the late Victorian fascination with mythic chivalry and artistry.
The author: Andrew Lang (1844–1912) was a Scottish poet, folklorist, and literary critic renowned for his masterful retellings of world fairy tales and legends. His “Color Fairy Book” series, beginning with The Blue Fairy Book (1889), became a cornerstone of children’s literature, introducing readers to global folk traditions in a refined literary form. Lang’s editions were both scholarly and enchanting, bridging academic folklore and the imaginative world of childhood reading.
The illustrator: Henry Justice Ford (1860–1941), one of the defining illustrators of the Edwardian period, collaborated with Lang on nearly all of his “Color Fairy Books.” His art—filled with energy, elegance, and intricate detail—blends romanticism with Pre-Raphaelite precision. In The Red Romance Book, Ford’s knights, dragons, and mythic creatures come vividly to life, establishing this edition as one of the most visually compelling in Lang’s entire series.