1890 Scarce Book - The Fairy Horn Illustrated by S. Theyre Smith
Author: S. Theyre Smith. Illustrated by the author.
Title: The Fairy Horn.
Publisher: London, Thos. De La Rue & Co., [circa 1890s]. First Edition.
Language: Text in English.
Size: 9" X 8".
Pages: 23 pages.
Binding: Very good original publisher's illustrated softcover wrappers. The charming color pictorial covers remain bright and attractive, showing only light handling wear and minor age toning. A remarkably well-preserved example of this fragile juvenile publication (hinges fine) under a protective, removable mylar cover. A rare find in any condition!
Content: Very good content. Internally clean and complete with light occasional spotting and minor signs of age. The leaves remain fresh and well preserved, with the vivid chromolithographic plates retaining excellent color.
Illustrations: Profusely illustrated throughout by the author with numerous black-and-white drawings and several full-page color chromolithographic plates.
Estimate: (USD $200–300).
The book: The Fairy Horn is a scarce and visually captivating Victorian fairy tale written and illustrated by S. Theyre Smith and published by the renowned London firm of Thomas De La Rue & Co. Designed as an elegant gift book for children, it tells the story of an enchanted princess held captive by a giant and guarded by a fearsome dragon, awaiting rescue through the magical power of the fairy horn. The text unfolds in verse and is accompanied by an abundance of illustrations that blend medieval romance, fairy lore, and late Victorian decorative design.
Particularly appealing are the beautiful chromolithographic plates, whose delicate colors and graceful compositions reflect the golden age of illustrated children's books. The author's drawings display a whimsical imagination, combining fairy figures, dragons, knights, castles, and enchanted landscapes in a style reminiscent of the period's fascination with Arthurian legend and fairy-tale revivalism. Publications of this type were often produced in modest numbers and intended for juvenile use, making well-preserved examples increasingly difficult to locate today.
Scarce in the marketplace, The Fairy Horn represents an attractive example of late nineteenth-century British color printing and juvenile book illustration, appealing to collectors of Victorian children's literature, fairy tales, chromolithography, and decorative publishing.
The author and illustrator: Very little biographical information has survived regarding S. Theyre Smith, who appears to have been active as both writer and illustrator during the late Victorian period. The Fairy Horn remains one of the scarce examples of his work and reflects the era's fascination with fairy tales, medieval romance, and richly illustrated books for young readers.