1899 Rare First Edition- The Princess of Hearts Illustrated by Alice B. Woodward
Author: Sheila E. Braine. Illustrated by Alice B. Woodward.
Title: The Princess of Hearts.
Publisher: London, Glasgow & Dublin, Blackie & Son, Ltd., circa 1899. First Edition.
Language: Text in English.
Size: 8.5 x 6.5 inches.
Pages: viii, 172 pages.
Binding: Very good original publisher's decorative pictorial cloth binding, beautifully designed in the Art Nouveau style and stamped in multiple colors on the front cover and spine. All edges gilt. An exceptionally attractive and well-preserved example, with bright colors and sharp decorative details. Protected in a removable mylar cover.
Content: Very good content. Complete and sound throughout. Pages are clean and fresh with only light occasional age toning and foxing. A handsome copy retaining its original decorative endpapers and title page.
Illustrations: Complete with 55 illustrations by Alice B. Woodward, including the color frontispiece and numerous black-and-white illustrations, decorative chapter headings, ornaments, and text illustrations throughout.
Estimate: (USD 250–300).
The book: The Princess of Hearts is a charming late Victorian fantasy inspired by the whimsical world of playing cards and fairy tale adventure. Sheila E. Braine imagines a delightful extension of the familiar court of Hearts, revealing that the King and Queen of Hearts had not only their famous son Jack but also a daughter, the spirited Princess Joan of Hearts. Through a series of adventures involving enchanted landscapes, curious creatures, magical castles, and eccentric characters, Joan embarks on a journey filled with wonder, courage, and imagination. Combining elements of fairy tale, fantasy, and nonsense literature, the story reflects the enduring popularity of Lewis Carroll's imaginative worlds while establishing a distinctive character all its own. This beautifully produced Blackie edition is especially prized for its striking Art Nouveau binding and the extensive illustrations by Alice B. Woodward, making it one of the more attractive gift books of the period.
The author: Sheila E. Braine was a British writer of children's fiction active during the late Victorian and Edwardian periods. Although little is known about her life today, her works belong to the rich tradition of imaginative children's literature that flourished at the turn of the twentieth century. The Princess of Hearts remains her best-known work and is admired for its inventive blending of fairy tale motifs, fantasy adventure, and card-court imagery.
The illustrator: Alice B. Woodward (1862–1951) was one of the most celebrated illustrators of children's books during the Golden Age of Illustration. Trained at the South Kensington School of Art, she became renowned for her imaginative and highly decorative work, contributing illustrations to books by Lewis Carroll, Edith Nesbit, Maria Edgeworth, and numerous other authors. Her illustrations are distinguished by graceful line work, expressive characters, and strong Art Nouveau influences. The extensive illustrations she created for The Princess of Hearts perfectly complement the book's whimsical fantasy atmosphere and significantly enhance its desirability among collectors of illustrated children's books.