1910 Rare First Edition - Edmund Dulac's Sleeping Beauty and Other Fairy Tales

A magnificent First Edition of The Sleeping Beauty and Other Fairy Tales, illustrated by Edmund Dulac with 30 exquisite colour plates, in its exceptionally attractive original red and gilt-decorated binding.

Author: Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch. Illustrated by Edmund Dulac.
Title: The Sleeping Beauty and Other Fairy Tales from the Old French.
Publisher: London: Hodder & Stoughton, no date (1910).
Edition: First Edition.
Language: English.
Pages: 128 pages.
Size: 11 x 9 inches.
Binding: Very good to near fine original red imitation pebbled leather cloth, beautifully decorated in gilt with elaborate floral scrollwork, cherubs, and ornate gilt lettering to the front cover and spine. The gilt decoration remains remarkably bright and attractive, with only minor signs of age and handling, as shown. A particularly handsome and well-preserved example of this celebrated decorative publisher's binding. Protected in a removable mylar cover. 
Content: Very good content, with clean, well-preserved pages, light age toning and occasional minor foxing. An early handwritten birthday presentation inscription appears on the front free endpaper, as shown. The illustrations retain their beautiful original colours.
Illustrations: Illustrated with 30 magnificent colour plates by Edmund Dulac, accompanied by decorative borders, captions, and charming black-and-white ornamental illustrations. Complete.

Estimate: USD $700–1,000.

The book: First published in 1910, The Sleeping Beauty and Other Fairy Tales is one of the most beautiful productions of the Golden Age of book illustration. Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch's elegant retellings of four beloved French fairy tales—The Sleeping Beauty, Blue Beard, Cinderella, and Beauty and the Beast—are brought wonderfully to life through Edmund Dulac's imaginative and richly coloured illustrations.

Published by Hodder & Stoughton during the great flowering of lavishly illustrated gift books, this volume is especially admired for the extraordinary beauty of its original red binding, embellished with intricate gilt floral designs and playful winged figures. The colour illustrations are equally enchanting, combining elaborate costumes, atmospheric settings, delicate expressions, and the mysterious beauty of the fairy-tale world. A particularly appealing example for collectors of classic fairy tales and Golden Age illustration.

The illustrator: Edmund Dulac (1882–1953) was a French-born British illustrator and one of the most celebrated artists of the Golden Age of book illustration. Born in Toulouse, he studied at the École des Beaux-Arts before settling in London, where he quickly established himself as a leading illustrator of beautifully produced literary gift books. His work for publishers such as Hodder & Stoughton placed him alongside Arthur Rackham and Kay Nielsen among the great illustrators of the early twentieth century.

Dulac's distinctive style combined refined draughtsmanship, subtle watercolour effects, richly atmospheric colour, and an exceptional gift for portraying the fantastic. His illustrations for The Sleeping Beauty and Other Fairy Tales are among his most admired achievements, transforming familiar stories into a world of sumptuous interiors, elegant figures, and dreamlike enchantment.