1890 Scarce Book - Macdonald's Princess And Curdie illustrated by James Allen

Author: George MacDonald. Illustrated by James Allen.
Title: The Princess and Curdie.
Publisher: London, Glasgow, Edinburgh, and Dublin: Blackie & Son, Limited. No date (1890). “New Edition”.
Language: Text in English.
Size: 7.5 x 5.5 inches.
Pages: vi, 255 pages, followed by a publisher’s catalogue; with eight illustrations in tints by James Allen (including frontispiece).
Binding: Attractive and very good original publisher’s blue cloth binding, elaborately decorated in black and gilt to upper board and spine, featuring a full-length gilt figure of the Princess within a ruled panel and repeating ornamental borders. Spine gilt-lettered (hinges fine, overall slightly worn and scuffed - as shown) under a protective removable mylar cover. A rare find in any condition!
Content: Good to very good content (bright, tight and clean, some light foxing and staining - as shown, final inner hinge of the rear endpaper shows wear but remains tight and stable - as shown). 
Illustrations: Eight tinted plates by James Allen, printed on slightly heavier stock, all present and well preserved. Complete.

Estimate: (USD 200–250).

The book: Scarce Edition. The Princess and Curdie is the darker, more allegorical sequel to The Princess and the Goblin, deepening MacDonald’s exploration of moral growth, obedience, and spiritual insight. Here, Curdie leaves the mines and is drawn into the political and ethical struggles of the kingdom, guided by the Princess and the mysterious, Christ-like presence of her great-great-grandmother. This “New Edition” from Blackie & Son presents the tale in an appealing gift-book format, with richly designed blue cloth and atmospheric tinted illustrations that enhance its dreamlike, sometimes unsettling tone.

The author: George MacDonald (1824–1905) was a Scottish novelist, poet, and Christian minister whose fairy tales profoundly influenced later writers such as C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien. His work blends imagination, theology, and moral seriousness, making him a central figure in the development of modern fantasy.

The illustrator: James Allen (active late 19th century) was known for his refined line work and delicate tinted plates, which lend MacDonald’s stories a distinctly Victorian, pre-Raphaelite sensibility—graceful, contemplative, and subtly dramatic.