1912 First Edition by Maria L. Kirk - Legend of King Arthur, Idylls of the King
Author: Inez N. McFee. Illustrated by M. L. Kirk.
Title: The Story of Idylls of the King.
Publisher: New York: Frederick A. Stokes Company, 1912. First Illustrated Edition by Maria L. Kirk.
Language: Text in English.
Size: 9.5 " X 7.5 ".
Pages: ix-394 pages.
Binding: Attractive and very good publisher’s pictorial cloth binding, featuring a large mounted color illustration on the front cover framed within an ornate red, green, and gold Art Nouveau border; gilt titles on the spine (hinges fine, overall slightly worn and scuffed - as shown, a few small surface marks to the rear board — as shown) under a protective removable mylar cover.
Content: Very good content (bright, tight and clean, rare light foxing - as shown). Previous owner’s inscription in ink to the front free endpaper - as shown.
Illustrations: Complete with 21 color plates by M. L. Kirk (all present and in very good condition, with deep, rich colors), as well as a stunning two-page pictorial frontispiece in black, white, and orange.
Estimate: (USD 200– 250).
The book: A beautifully illustrated and impressively produced 1912 Stokes edition of The Story of Idylls of the King, Inez N. McFee’s accessible prose retelling of Tennyson’s Arthurian cycle, enriched with selections from the original poem. This edition stands out for its large format, elegant typography, and the dramatic storybook visual style brought to life by M. L. Kirk’s illustrations. The plates — vibrant, romantic, and full of movement — highlight iconic moments of Camelot: Arthur’s rise, Guinevere’s grace, Lancelot’s loyalty, and the tragic beauty of Elaine. The decorative double-page frontispiece, with its bold orange banner and medieval knight, is one of the most striking pictorial elements of Stokes’s illustrated books of the early 20th century.
The author: Inez N. McFee (18xx–19xx) was an American writer best known for her literary adaptations and retellings for young readers. Her work aimed to make classic narratives accessible while maintaining their poetic and moral foundations. In The Story of Idylls of the King, she succeeds in preserving the emotional weight and moral dilemmas central to Tennyson’s Arthurian world, while offering a clear, engaging narrative structure.
The illustrator: M. L. Kirk (Marie Lowndes Kirk, 1860–1938) was a celebrated American illustrator associated with the Golden Age of Illustration. Known for her richly colored plates and expressive character portrayals, Kirk brought warmth, drama, and lyrical beauty to classic tales. Her illustrations for this edition — especially the emotionally nuanced scenes such as Elaine on the barge or Guinevere at Camelot — rank among her most admired works and contribute greatly to the book’s collectible appeal.