1884 Rare First Edition - New England Legends and Folk Lore by S.A. Drake

Author: Samuel Adams Drake. Illustrated by F. T. Merrill.
Title: A Book of New England Legends and Folk Lore in Prose and Poetry.
Publisher: Boston, Roberts Brothers, 1884. First Edition.
Language: Text in English.
Size: 8 x 7 inches.
Pages: xviii-461 pages + publisher's ads.
Binding: Attractive and very good publisher’s original pictorial blue cloth binding with black and gilt-stamped title and illustration of three witches flying on broomsticks on the front board. Gilt title to spine, black vignette decorations (hinges fine, overall slightly scuffed - as shown) under a protective removable mylar cover. An attractive and striking example of late 19th-century decorative cloth bindings.
Content: Very good content (bright, tight and clean, rare light foxing or staining mainly on the preliminary and last pages - as shown).
Illustrations: Illustrated throughout by F. T. Merrill with numerous in-text woodcut-style engravings. Highlights include evocative depictions of witches, executions, pirates (including Blackbeard), Puritan assemblies, and rustic New England life. (Complete).

Estimate: (USD 350–500).

The book: This 1884 first edition of New England Legends and Folk Lore by Samuel Adams Drake is a foundational work of American regional folklore, blending history, poetic retellings, and myth. Drake compiles a wide range of tales, from Puritan witch trials and Boston legends to maritime ghost stories and pirate lore. The volume is notable for preserving oral traditions in literary form, and for its cultural insight into the mythic imagination of colonial and early American New England. F. T. Merrill’s illustrations capture the dramatic and eerie nature of these tales with verve and period charm.

The author: Samuel Adams Drake (1833–1905) was an American journalist, historian, and antiquarian celebrated for his contributions to New England historical literature. A prolific chronicler of regional stories, his works reflect a deep engagement with the colonial past, combining narrative vigor with meticulous historical interest. Drake's books were instrumental in shaping American interest in local legend and lore during the 19th century.

The illustrator: Frederick T. Merrill (1846–1936) was a well-known American illustrator active during the late 19th century, often associated with historical and literary themes. His finely detailed and dramatic line work is particularly effective in visualizing folklore subjects, and his collaboration with Drake on this volume significantly enhances its storytelling appeal.