1878 Rare First Edition- Frithiof's Saga, Illustrated Viking Tales of the North

Author: Esaias Tegnér. Illustrated by various artists.
Title: Frithiof's Saga: A Legend of Ancient Norway.
Publisher: Boston, James R. Osgood and Company, 1878. First English Edition.
Language: Text in English, translated from the original Swedish. 
Size: 12 x 9 inches.
Pages: xiii-237 pages.
Binding:  Attractive and very good original blue cloth binding variant, elaborately decorated in gilt and black, with intricate Viking-inspired designs on the front cover and spine(hinges fine, overall slightly worn and scuffed - as shown) under a protective removable mylar cover. All edges gilt. A beautifully bound edition.
Content: Very good content (bright, tight and clean, rare light foxing or staining - as shown, name of a previous owner on the first endpaper - as shown).
Illustrations: Richly illustrated with full-page engravings and decorative vignettes, capturing the grandeur of the saga with fine artistic detail.

Estimate: (USD $350 – $500).

The book: This is a stunning 19th-century First English edition of Frithiof’s Saga, a celebrated Swedish epic poem by Esaias Tegnér. The work, originally composed in the early 19th century, is based on medieval Norse legends and tells the story of Frithiof, a hero torn between love and duty in a world of Viking honor and adventure. This edition, beautifully translated into English by L.A. Sherman, captures the poetic nature of the original while being accessible to English-speaking readers. The high-quality printing, combined with elegant illustrations, makes this a highly collectible volume.

The author: Esaias Tegnér (1782–1846) was a Swedish poet and bishop, renowned for his literary contributions to the Romantic movement in Scandinavia. His Frithiof’s Saga became one of the most famous and widely translated works of Swedish literature, celebrated for its lyrical beauty and nationalistic themes. His influence on Scandinavian poetry remains profound.