1894 First Edition- More Celtic Fairy Tales by J Jacobs Illustrated by JD Batten

Author: Selected and edited by Joseph Jacobs. Illustrated by John D. Batten.
Title: More Celtic Fairy Tales.
Publisher: London, David Nutt, 270–271 Strand, 1894. First Edition.
Language: Text in English.
Size: 8.5 x 6.5 inches.
Pages: xii-234 pages + publisher's catalog.
Binding: Good publisher’s original decorative green cloth binding with elaborate Celtic-inspired black line designs to front board and spine. Titled in stylized lettering with interlace and symbolic zoomorphic ornamentation by J. Lockwood Kipling (monogrammed “J.L.K.” in the design) (hinges fine, overall worn, soiled and scuffed - as shown, rubbing to spine ends and corners - as shown) under a protective removable mylar cover. .
Content: Very good content (bright, tight and clean, rare light foxing or staining mainly on endpapers - as shown). 
Illustrations: Profusely illustrated with 8 full-page and multiple in-text black-and-white illustrations by John D. Batten. Includes striking plates such as “The Golden Bird,” “The Fate of the Children of Lir,” “Morraha,” “The Bridge of Blood,” and “Koisha Kayn.” (Complete).

Estimate: (Scarce with no or few other copies available for sale worldwide).

The book: A scarce and richly illustrated first edition of More Celtic Fairy Tales, the sequel to Jacobs’ landmark collection of Irish and Scottish folklore. Published by David Nutt, a press renowned for its folklore publications, this volume continues Jacobs’ mission of preserving oral tradition in a form accessible to Victorian readers. The tales are retold with literary charm and annotated with scholarly notes, while the binding and illustrations provide a compelling example of the Arts and Crafts movement’s influence on book design. A key collectible in the Celtic revival and fairy tale traditions.

The author: Joseph Jacobs (1854–1916) was an Australian-born folklorist, historian, and literary critic. As the editor of Folk-Lore and a major figure in the late 19th-century folklore movement, Jacobs is credited with bringing international attention to British and Celtic oral traditions. His collections—ranging from English to Indian and Jewish tales—have remained influential and widely read.

The illustrator: John Dickson Batten (1860–1932) was a painter, printmaker, and book illustrator associated with the Pre-Raphaelite and Arts and Crafts circles. His work for Joseph Jacobs’ fairy tale series is among his most celebrated, marked by dynamic linework, imaginative composition, and medieval romanticism. Batten’s illustrations here elevate the storytelling with a blend of fantasy, mystery, and Celtic visual heritage.