1890 Scarce color illustrated French Book ~ Contes des Fees by Perrault - Fairy Tales.
Author: Perrault, Charles.
Title: Les Contes des Fees.
Publisher: Paris, Librairie de Theodore Lefevre et Cie, no date (circa 1890). First thus.
Language: Text in French.
Size: 6 "X 4 ".
Pages: viii-207 pages.
Binding: Very attractive and very good, near fine, original gilt illustrated full-cloth binding (hinges fine, overall slightly scuffed - as shown) under a protective removable mylar cover. All edges gilt. A rare find in such a nice condition!
Content: Very good content (bright, tight, and clean, rare light foxing - as shown).
Illustrations: Complete with the nine very nice full-page color illustrations and some in-text illustrations.
Estimate: (USD 500 -USD 600)
The book: Scarce and very attractive color illustrated french edition of Perrault's fairy tales. Including : Le Petit Chaperon rouge. Les Souhaits ridicules. Peau d'ane. Le Petit Poucet. Le Chat botte. Cendrillon. La Barbe bleue. Riquet a la houppe. La Belle au bois dormant. L'adroite princesse and Les Fees.
The author: Charles Perrault (12 January 1628 – 16 May 1703) was a French author and member of the Académie française. He laid the foundations for a new literary genre, the fairy tale, with his works derived from pre-existing folk tales. The best known of his tales include Le Petit Chaperon rouge (Little Red Riding Hood), Cendrillon (Cinderella), Le Chat Botté (Puss in Boots), La Belle au bois dormant (The Sleeping Beauty) and La Barbe bleue (Bluebeard). Some of Perrault's versions of old stories may have influenced the German versions published by the Brothers Grimm 200 years later. The stories continue to be printed and have been adapted to opera, ballet (such as Tchaikovsky's The Sleeping Beauty), theatre, and film. Perrault was an influential figure in the 17th-century French literary scene, and was the leader of the Modern faction during the Quarrel of the Ancients and the Moderns.