Available Copies from Independent Booksellers
Price: US$30.00 + shipping
Condition: Good
Description: 307 Pp . Blue Cloth, Lettered In Dark Blue. True First Edition, Preceding The British Edition. Wear, A Few Tiny Frays, Browning To Cloth. Bookplate And Signature Of Archaeologist Bruce Bryan, Longtime Head Of The Southwest Museum In Los Angeles, Who Had Several Stories Published In Weird Tales.
Seller: Arroyo Seco Books, Pasadena, Member IOBA, Pasadena, CA, U.S.A.
Price: US$40.00 + shipping
Condition: Fair
Description: Boards stained and worn- inked and crayon writing on endpaper- rear hinge splitting
Seller: Books End Bookshop, Syracuse, NY, U.S.A.
Price: US$45.00 + shipping
Description: 12mo. v, [3], 326 pp. Colour frntsp., plates. Green cloth, white & gilt illust. & lettrng on frnt cvr & spine (rubbng, edgewear, startng to rear hnge), still a G copy. First American edition of this adventure fantasy, an Abyssinian romance quite similar to She in its plot.
Seller: Zephyr Used & Rare Books, Vancouver, WA, U.S.A.
Haggard, H. Rider.. Queen Sheba's Ring.. Doubleday, Page, Garden City, 1910.
Price: US$55.00 + shipping
Condition: Good
Description: First edition / First printing. Hard Cover. Slight wear to covers. 326pp. Size: 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾"
Seller: Vashon Island Books, Vashon, WA, U.S.A.
H. Rider Haggard. Queen Sheba's Ring. Doubleday, Page & Co., New York, 1910.
Price: US$60.00 + shipping
Condition: Good
Description: First American edition [variant binding] in light blue cloth covered boards, spine and cover lettered and decorated in gilt and blue. Frontispiece and four additional b/w plates by Cyrus Cuneo. New York: Doubleday, Page & Co. (1910), 326 pages. Solid Good copy cloth wear and sunned spine, no tissue guard, hinges holding.
Seller: SF & F Books, Chester, VA, U.S.A.
HAGGARD, H. RIDER. QUEEN SHEBA'S RING. NEW YORK NY DOUBLEDAY PAGE & CO. PUB 1910., 1910.
Price: US$75.00 + shipping
Description: VG/NONE. AMERICAN EDITON PRECEDED THE BRITISH / ILLUSTRATED BY SIGURD SCHOU WITH FIVE TIPPED-IN PLATES THE TOP 3/8" OF THE SPINE HAS PREVIOUSLY SUFFERED DAMAGE THAT EVEN THOUGH IT HAS BEEN SOLIDLY6 AND NEATLY REPAIRED IT HAS NEGATIVELY AFFECTED THE WORD "QUEEN" IN THE TITLE RESULTING IN PARTIAL PERISHING/DULLING. THE REST OF THE BOOK IS VERY NICE WITH STRONG GILT TO THE SPINE AND FRONT COVER AND NO FLAKING TO THE WHITE DESIGN AND TITLES ON THE FRONT COVER, A TRACE OF WEAR/RUB AT THE CORNERS, AND A VERY NEAT CHRISTMAS GIFT INSCRIPTION ON THE FRONT FREE ENDPAPER DATED 1910. A NICE CLEAN, BRIGHT, AND TIGHT COPY. FIRST EDITION. Binding is HARDCOVER.
Seller: JOHN LUTSCHAK BOOKS, BURLINGTON, WI, U.S.A.
H. Rider Haggard. Queen Sheba's Ring. Doubleday Page and Co., 1910.
Price: US$80.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: very minor wear, overall bright clean copy of US first New York, Doubleday Page & Co.
Seller: Ian Thompson, Milton, ON, Canada
Haggard, H. Rider. Queen Sheba's Ring. Doubleday, Page, New York, 1910.
Price: US$91.30 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: 12mo, 326 pp., color frontispiece, b/w plates. Spine slightly cocked and pulled at head, rear board stained, head and heel of spine chipped and frayed, light wear to corners of boards, page edges soiled, pages tanned, previous owner name.
Seller: Anthology Booksellers, Portland, OR, U.S.A.
Haggard, H. Rider. QUEEN SHEBA'S RING. Doubleday, Page & Co., 1910.
Price: US$110.20 + shipping
Description: QUEEN SHEBA'S RING, Doubleday, Page & Co., 1910, first edition, a bright very good to very good+ copy of an attractive book. Illustrated.
Seller: THE FINE BOOKS COMPANY / A.B.A.A / 1979, ROCHESTER, MI, U.S.A.
Haggard, H. Rider. QUEEN SHEBA'S RING. Doubleday, Page & Co., 1910.
Price: US$116.00 + shipping
Description: QUEEN SHEBA'S RING, Doubleday, Page & Co., 1910, first edition, top edge of text block dusty, cloth rubbed at head and heel of spine panel and corners, else a very good, bright copy of an attractive book. Illustrated.
Seller: THE FINE BOOKS COMPANY / A.B.A.A / 1979, ROCHESTER, MI, U.S.A.
Price: US$120.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: The first American trade edition of the first volume of the Ring of the Niblung Trilogy. Translated by Margaret Armour. With 34 color plates by Arthur Rackham mounted on blank leaves with tissue guards with printed captions. 160 pages. First American edition (no indication of later printings). A very good copy with moderate shelfwear, a bit of staining to the cloth, and some darkening to the spine. The tissue guard facing p. 32 is loose, but present. All illustrations are present and intact.
Seller: Downtown Brown Books, Portland, OR, U.S.A.
H. Rider Haggard. Queen Sheba's Ring. Doubleday, Page & Co., New York, 1910.
Price: US$125.00 + shipping
Condition: Good
Description: First American edition in green cloth covered boards, spine lettered and decorated in gilt, cover decorated in gilt and white with white lettering. Tissue guarded color frontispiece and four additional b/w plates by Cyrus Cuneo. Scott 54A: Whatmore F36 (6d). New York: Doubleday, Page & Co. (1910), 326 pages. Solid Good copy with repaired front joint with replaced front end papers, wear to cloth, some loss to white design and lettering on cover. Inked name to top of half-title page.
Seller: SF & F Books, Chester, VA, U.S.A.
Price: US$125.00 + shipping
Description: Translated into English by Margaret Armour. ix, 160 pp. With 34 tipped-in color illustrations by Arthur Rackham, each with printed tissue overleaf. 4to, publisher's gilt buckram. First US trade edition. Slight foxing to the first few leaves; some faint offsetting from the plates (which are all lovely) to the text opposite. There is some irregular discoloration to the cloth, which is unworn, tight and sound. Leicester Galleries Arthur Rackham Exhibition flyer laid in. The Ring of the Niblung Trilogy, I.
Seller: Jeffrey H. Marks, Rare Books, ABAA, Rochester, NY, U.S.A.
HAGGARD, H. RIDER. Queen Sheba's Ring. Doubleday & Co, New York, 1910.
Price: US$131.52 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: 12mo - over 6¾" - 7¾" tall. Bound in green cloth with white & gilt decorations to front board & gilt to spine. Full colour frontispiece, black & white plates throughout. Light wear to the outer corners & to head & heel of spine. Usual age darkening to pages & page edges; head of pages somewhat soiled. Signatures have started but binding remains sound. Faded gift inscription to the first free endpage. Library stamp to lower portion of page 121, striking the last lane of the text. This is the first US edition, published September 8th, 1910, which precedes the UK edition by 2 days.
Seller: Karol Krysik Books ABAC/ILAB, IOBA, PBFA, Toronto, ON, Canada
Price: US$137.76 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: IX; 159 Seiten; mit zahlr. (farbigen) Illustrationen; fadengeh., goldgepr. (illustr.) Orig.-Leinenband. Gutes, stabiles Exemplar; Einband etwas lichtrandig u. berieben; Vorsatz mit kl. Exlibris; kl. Lagerspuren. - Englisch. - Band I (von 2). - INHALT : The Rhinegold: Prelude / The Valkyrie: First Day of the Trilogy / Siegfried: Second Day of the Trilogy / The Twilight of the Gods: Third / Day of the Trilogy. - Arthur Rackham (* 19. September 1867 in London; 6. September 1939 in Limpsfield, Surrey) war ein britischer Illustrator, der durch seine zahlreichen Buchillustrationen, insbesondere für Volksmärchen und andere Kinderbücher, bekannt wurde. . (wiki) // Margaret Armour (10 September 1860 13 October 1943) was a Scottish poet, novelist, and translator. She translated the Nibelungenlied from Middle High German into English prose, first published in 1897 as The Fall of the Nibelungs. In 1910 she translated The Ring of the Nibelung by Richard Wagner, and in 1928 she translated Gudrun. . (wiki; engl.) // LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS / ILLUSTRATIONEN : Raging, Wotan ----- Rides to the rock ! ----- Like a storm-wind he comes!" Frontispiece ----- The frolic of the Rhine-Maidens The Rhine-Maidens teasing Alberich ----- " Mock away ! Mock ! The Niblung makes for your toy ! " ----- " Seize the despoiler ! Rescue the gold ! Help us ! Help us ! Woe! Woe!" ----- Freia, the fair one ----- " The Rhine's pure-gleaming children Told me of their sorrow '' ----- Fasolt suddenly seizes Freia and drags her to one side with Fafner ----- The Gods grow wan and aged at the loss of Freia ----- Mime, howling. " Ohe ! Ohe ! Oh! Oh!" ----- Mime writhes under the lashes he receives ----- Alberich drives in a band of Niblungs laden with gold and silver treasure ----- " Ohe ! Ohe ! Horrible dragon, O swallow me not! Spare the life of poor Loge ! " ----- " Hey ! Come hither, And stop me this cranny ! " ----- " Erda bids thee beware " Fafner kills Fasolt ----- " To my hammer's swing Hitherward sweep Vapours and fogs! Hovering mists ! Donner, your lord, summons his hosts ! " ----- " The Rhine's fair children, Bewailing their lost gold, weep " ----- " This healing and honeyed ----- Draught of mead Deign to accept from me." ----- " Set it first to thy lips " ----- Hunding discovers the likeness between Siegmund and Sieglinde ----- Sieglinde prepares Hunding's draught for the night ----- " Siegmund the Walsung ----- Thou dost see ! ----- As bride-gift ----- He brings thee this sword '' ----- Brunnhilde ----- Fricka approaches in anger ----- Brunnhilde slowly and silently leads her horse down the path to the cave ----- " Father ! Father ! ----- Tell me what ails thee ? With dismay thou art filling thy child ! " ----- Brünnhilde stands for a long time dazed and alarmed Brünnhilde with her horse, at the mouth of the cave ----- " I flee for the first time ----- And am pursued : Warfather follows close ----- He nears, he nears, in fury ! Save this woman ! Sisters, your help ! " ----- " There as a dread Dragon he sojourns, And in a cave Keeps watch over Alberich's ring " ----- The ride of the Valkyries ----- " Appear, flickering fire, Encircle the rock with thy flame ! Loge ! Loge ! Appear ! " ----- As he moves slowly away, Wotan turns and looks sorrowfully back at Brünnhilde ----- The sleep of Brünnhilde. Sprache: Deutsch Gewicht in Gramm: 1000
Seller: Fundus-Online GbR Borkert Schwarz Zerfaß, Berlin, Germany
Wagner, Richard & Arthur Rackham. The Ring of the Niblung. Doubleday, Page & Co., New York, 1910.
Price: US$150.00 + shipping
Condition: Fine
Description: Light Green Boards with a dark green cloth spine. Both illustrated in gilt. Thick 4to. No dates anywhere, but 'Printed in Great Britain on the copyright page, so presumably an early copy. Color plates. A clean example. No jacket.
Seller: Gerry Kleier Rare Books, Martinez, CA, U.S.A.
Price: US$155.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: This book is in very good condition. There are no bookplates, signatures, or markings of any kind in the book. This book contains all 17 of Rackham's original tipped-in plates, with none missing, removed, or loose. They are all in excellent condition and all have intact tissue guards which have the illustration titles printed on them. The pages are free of foxing. This is the Limited Edition #268 of 500 copies of the Swedish edition printed in 1910. A rare find complete with many beautiful illustrations.
Seller: The Lion's End, Antiquarian Books, North Miami, FL, U.S.A.
H. Rider Haggard. Queen Sheba's Ring. Doubleday, Page & Co., New York, 1910.
Price: US$157.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: First American edition - Variant binding - true 1st edition [precedes First UK edition] in light blue cloth covered boards, spine and cover lettered and decorated in orange and blue. Frontispiece and four additional b/w plates [all present] by Cyrus Cuneo. This unrecorded variant is 3/16" taller and 1/16" wider than the recorded version. New York: Doubleday, Page & Co. (1910), 326 pages. VG copy with light wear to extremities, signed name and erased name to f.f.e.
Seller: SF & F Books, Chester, VA, U.S.A.
Price: US$180.00 + shipping
Condition: Good
Description: In publisher's original quarter green cloth, and paper boards stamped in gilt. Beautiful vignette on cover in gilt. Bright Arthur Rackham illustrations with tissue guards. Non-circulating library book plate, stamp, and pocket on rear paste down endpaper. Interior hinges are almost separated, head and heel of spine frayed, slight water mark at the top of first leaf and tissues facing the illustrations, otherwise in good condition.
Seller: James & Mary Laurie, Booksellers A.B.A.A, Minneapolis, MN, U.S.A.
Haggard, H. Rider. Queen Sheba's Ring. Doubleday, Page & Company, New York, 1910.
Price: US$200.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: New York: Doubleday, Page & Company, 1910. A "lost tribe" adventure novel set in Africa, resembling Haggard's "She" and "King Soloman's Mines." This is a Very Good (Plus) to Near Fine copy of the first American Edition, which preceded the English one. Green cloth binding, titled in gilt on the spine. Decoration and titling on the front cover in white and gilt. Clean textt; 326 pages. Frontis colour illustration by Sigurd Schou; four others in black and white within. Tiny bookseller label on the rear paste-down. Minimal wear, with light rub to the margins. A sound and quite attractive copy. In an archival plastic protector. First American Edition. Decorative Cloth. Very Good (Plus)/No Jacket. Illus. by Sigurd Schou. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall.
Seller: Quercus Rare Books, Chico, CA, U.S.A.
Price: US$220.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: Blue cloth with gilt titles and decoration, 1910 Doubleday second impression with 34 tissue guarded tipped in Rackham color illustrations. Tight and unmarked showing light age tone. oversized and overweight. Please email for photos. Larger books or sets may require additional shipping charges. Books sent via US Postal
Seller: Griffin Books, Stamford, CT, U.S.A.
Wagner. Richard. The Rheingold & The Valkyrie. Doubleday Page and Co, New York, 1910.
Price: US$350.00 + shipping
Condition: Good
Description: Beautifully illustrated edition of Wagner's version The trilogy of The Ring of the Niblung I (The Rheingold & The Valkyries), translated by Margaret Armour. 34 tipped-in color watercolor print plates with tissue protectors and beautiful ink frontispiece, endpapers, and other ornamentations by Rackham. Bound in blue with very elaborate imprinted gilt illustration on cover and spine. Some wear at extremities, especially top of spine, some minor scuffing and the A in Arthur Rackham on front cover has a whitish transparent smudge. Else VG. Inside has some slight shadowing and yellowing, but no stains or markings. Note: some damage on tissue and binding at final plate. Else all in good condition. Size: Folio
Seller: The Country Bookshop [Member VABA], Plainfield, VT, U.S.A.
H. Rider Haggard. Queen Sheba's Ring. Doubleday, Page & Co., New York, 1910.
Price: US$355.00 + shipping
Condition: Fine
Description: First American edition and true 1st edition [precedes First UK edition] in green cloth covered boards, spine lettered and decorated in gilt, cover decorated in gilt and white with white lettering. Tissue guarded color frontispiece and four additional b/w plates [all present] by Cyrus Cuneo. Scott 54A: Whatmore F36 (6d). New York: Doubleday, Page & Co. (1910), 326 pages. A Fine copy. Wear at heel, dust darkened top edge, Neatly affixed bookplate and bookstore sticker on front pastedown.
Seller: SF & F Books, Chester, VA, U.S.A.
Haggard, H. Rider. Queen Sheba's Ring. Doubleday, Page and Company, New York, 1910.
Price: US$400.00 + shipping
Condition: Near Fine
Description: First edition. (Precedes the British edition by two days.) x, 326 pp. Publisher's green ribbed cloth stamped in white and gilt. Near Fine with much less rubbing to stamping than usually found, light rubbing along bottom edge of cloth, rear hinge a bit free. A neat, clean copy of an adventure novel in the mold of the author's earlier King Solomon's Mines.
Seller: Burnside Rare Books, ABAA, Portland, OR, U.S.A.
Price: US$481.22 + shipping
Description: Both first trade editions. Post 4to (10 x 8 ins). Both books in matching binding of gilt-stamped light brown buckram, Rhinegold vol slightly sunned. Foxing to endpapers and half-titles. Illustrations by Arthur Rackham, with 36 tipped-in colour plates in volume 1 and 30 in volume 2, each with captioned tissue-guard, and head and tailpieces. A very nice and clean set with just some fading to the Rhinegold binding to detract. In what has become known as the golden age of illustration, the period between 1900-1920, technological advances in printing meant that artists, such as Rackham, no longer needed to rely on engravers to translate their work for printing. With this greater flexibility, Rackham was free to experiment with line and colour in a way that made him the most beloved and also most profitable illustrator of his time. He collaborated many times with Heinemann publishers and their lavishly produced works with tipped-in, full-colour illustrations gave rise to the idea of the "gift book". For many, Rackham's illustrations came to define the look and feel of the world's great literature classics; from Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens, to A Midsummer Nights Dream, and Wagner's Ring Cycle.
Seller: Worlds End Bookshop (ABA, PBFA, ILAB), LONDON, United Kingdom
HAGGARD, H. Rider. Queen Sheba's Ring. Doubleday, Page and Co, New York, 1910.
Price: US$650.00 + shipping
Description: First Edition, precedes the English printing by two days. Sigurd Schou dustjacket art and illustrations. Rare Bleiler listed fantasy title to be found in original dustjacket. "Mr. Haggard has gone back to the style of those inimitable romances, 'She' and 'Ayesha', in this story. He knows well how to handle the occult and adventurous and shows all his old power in this tale of a father's search for his lost son in Central Africa. The unknown tribe, their strange worship, and mysterious inscriptions make a fascinating background". (from the jacket copy) "African lost race adventure novel of the finding of a race descended from ancient Abyssinian Jews and others who are surrounded in their mountain fastness of Mur, by a hostile half- negroid people called the Fung."- Locke, A Spectrum of Fantasy. Near Fine but for two different personal library stamps at front endpaper (and one stamp at rear endpaper) in Good dustjacket with modest edge chipping, some darkening to spine, scotch tape shadows at verso of spine ends and flap corners, closed tear at mid-front panel mended at verso with old gift label.
Seller: Babylon Revisited Rare Books, Northampton, MA, U.S.A.
Haggard, H. Rider. Queen Sheba's Ring. Doubleday, Page & Co, New York, 1910.
Price: US$769.96 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: Bound in green cloth, with bright white title lettering and gilt decoration, to front board and spine, this hardcover First American Edition is VG.Signed and Inscribed by author as follows," To K.J.J. MacKenzie from H. Rider Haggard, Ditchingham. 15 Sept: 1910" This inscription appears on verso of frontis. (X)/326pp with 20 chaps. plus note from Maqueda. Also, coloured frontis and four B/W plates.Slight rubbing top/tail of spine, clean endpapers, otherwise VG
Seller: Camilla's Bookshop, Eastbourne, SX, United Kingdom
Price: US$771.45 + shipping
Description: Legatura editoriale in piena tela con titoli e ricche decorazioni in oro al ds. e al piatto anteriore (per il primo volume). Tela editoriale con titoli e decorazioni in nero (per il secondo volume). Esemplari in ottimo stato di conservazione. Primo volume in edizione originale, secondo volume in edizione successiva (l originale è del 1911). 8vo (cm. 26), 2 Voll., IX-(1)159(1) pp.; IX-(1)181(1) pp., 1 c.nn. Con alcune ill.ni xilografiche in nero n.t. e complessive 64 tavv. f.t. a colori applicate su cartoncino e protette da velina parlante (di cui una in antiporta di ciascun volume).
Seller: Libreria Ex Libris ALAI-ILAB/LILA member, Roma, Italy
(Rackham, Arthur) Wagner, Richard. The Ring of the Niblung: THE RHINEGOLD & THE VALKYRIE. , 1910.
Price: US$775.00 + shipping
Description: With Illustrations by Arthur Rackham. Translated by Margaret Armour. London: William Heinemann | New York: Doubleday Page & Co., 1910. Original light brown buckram pictorially decorated in gilt, with dust jacket. First Arthur Rackham edition, trade issue (there were also 1150 signed copies bound in white parchment). A year later, the concluding volume of "The Ring" was published -- SIEGFRIED & THE TWILIGHT OF THE GODS. This is one of Rackham's more outstanding achievements: the volume contains 34 color plates, each tipped onto heavy art paper with a printed tissue guard. This volume is in fine condition, with scarcely any soil or wear. Included is Heinemann's 1910 pictorial dust jacket, repeating the book's decoration: it is in very good-plus condition (light wear at the spine ends and upper edge of the rear panel, faint damp-mark on the latter). The front free endpaper bears a small "Xmas 1911" signature.
Seller: Sumner & Stillman [ABAA], Yarmouth, ME, U.S.A.
Price: US$962.45 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: A beautifully and colourfully illustrated copy of Richard Wagner's epic dramas, the first edition, second impression, to be illustrated in colour by Arthur Rackham, in the original dust wrapper. The first edition, second impression, published only the month after the first impression.In the original unclipped dust wrapper.Illustrated with a tipped-in colour frontispiece, and thirty-three tipped-in colour plates.Collated, complete.The first two of Richard Wagner's four epic music dramas, the series being titled 'Der Ring des Nibelungen', or 'The Ring of the Nibelung', or simply the 'Ring Cycle'.These dramas are loosely based on characters from Norse mythology and the Nibelungenlied, revolving around a magical ring, that grants the wearer the power to rule the world. It is said that the ring was forged by the Nibelung dwarf Alberich from gold that he stole from the River Rhine's maidens.Illustrated by Arthur Rackham. Rackham was a book illustrator who illustrated editions of 'The Ingoldsby Legends', 'The Wind in the Willows', 'Grimm's Fairy Tales', and 'Gulliver's Travels', as well as contributing frequently to periodicals. He is considered to be one of the leaders of the 'Golden Age' of book illustrations.Translated from German to English by Margaret Armour, a Scottish translator, poet, and novelist. She also translated worked by Gustav Legerlotz and Heinrich Heine.Promotional slip for the Arthur Rackham Exhibition at the Leicester Galleries is loosely inserted. In the original publisher's cloth binding, in the original unclipped dust wrapper. Externally, generally smart. Fading to the spine, joints, and head of the front board, heavier fading to the tail of the boards. A few light marks to the boards. Front hinge is starting but firm. Front wrap of the dust wrapper is detached from the spine. Light edge wear to the wraps, with a few small chips, including to the head and tail of the spine, and a large tear to the head of the rear joint, smaller tear and chip to the tail of the rear wrap. Light age-toning and handling marks to the dust wrapper. Internally, firmly bound. Pages are bright and generally clean with some scattered spots. Final plate is working loose. Very Good
Seller: Rooke Books PBFA, Bath, United Kingdom
Price: US$1200.00 + shipping
Condition: Good
Description: First edition, signed limited copy, being number #220 of 1150, in paper vellum with cream satin ribbon ties (ties detached and laid in behind front cover), gilt decorated gilt lettering to front cover and spine, top edge gilt, pages rough trimmed, 30 coloured illustrations tipped in on brown art paper with captioned tissue guards. No previous owner's names, not exlibrary. Overall in GOOD condition. Photos available upon request.
Seller: Hirschfeld Galleries, Saint Louis, MO, U.S.A.
Price: US$1250.00 + shipping
Condition: Good
Description: creme binding. Volume 1 only. Translated by Margaret Armour. #670/1100 copies. faded cover and spine
Seller: RP BOOKS, Newport, NH, U.S.A.
Price: US$1295.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: First printing of this impressive volume richly illustrated with thirty-four mounted colour plates by Arthur Rackham with captioned tissue guards. 1910 at title page; no other dates. Fine brown full-cloth boards, sharp gilt cover and spine design, titles, light shelf wear, toning to spine, light discoloration to front lower edge. Crisp cover design features titles with Brunnhilde riding to battle on her horse; above this, titles and richly stylized dragon eating its tail. Spine features titles with classic ouroboros vignette. Heinemann in gilt at heel of spine. Pages very good, clean; light fox at first and last several leaves. Few with small areas of tanning, toning; small pinhole at back few. Antiquarian inscription at front endpaper: "To my darling best-beloved Edward, from his loving little wife with dearest love & all best wishes for many happy returns of his birthday. Oct. 2nd, 1911." Illustrated spread inside front and back covers with Rhine-maidens or floating fairies. Bind fine, square; hinges intact. Original dark brown, matte pictorial wrapper, light edge wear, rub; moderate offset to printing. Cover and spine repeat cover motif with Brunnhilde on horse. Titles at spine, and also: "Cash Price in Great Britain and Ireland 15/-net." Sharp very good first edition thus in same original wrapper. Includes scarce ephemeral leaflet set in; remains crisp and clean. A notice of: "Arthur Rackham Exhibition. An Exhibition of Original Water Colour Drawings for 'The Ring of the Niblungs: and other subjects by Mr. Arthur Rackham, R. W. S., will be held by Msssrs. Ernest Brown and Phillips, at The Leicester Galleries, Leicester Square, London, from October 15th to November 12th, 1910." These works are based loosely on characters from the Norse sagas, and are translated here into English by Margaret Armour. The saga included in this volume are: The Rhinegold, the prelude, and The Valkyrie, the first day of the trilogy. Initially establishing his reputation as a romantic composer, Wagner revolutionized opera through his concept of the Gesamtkunstwerk (total work of art), by which he sought to synthesise the poetic, visual, musical and dramatic arts. This edition of The Rhinegold & The Valkyrie is heightened by the dazzling color illustrations of a master of the craft, Arthur Rackham. One of the most celebrated painters of the British Golden Age of Illustration - 1850 until the start of the First World War, Rackhams artistry is unparalleled. Throughout his career, he developed a unique style, combining haunting humour with dream-like romance. Presented alongside the text, these illustrations further refine and elucidate Wagners captivating storytelling. Printed by Ballantyne & Co. Limited, Tavistock Street, Covent Garden, London. 161 pages of text with thirty-four tipped-in plates. Insured post. Size: 4to - over 9¾" - 12" tall
Seller: The BiblioFile, Rapid River, MI, U.S.A.
Price: US$2438.20 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: A beautifully and colourfully illustrated copy of Richard Wagner's epic four epic opera dramas, illustrated throughout by Arthur Rackham with tipped-in colour plates, scarce to see in their original dust wrappers. The first editions, first impression.Both volumes are in their scarce original unclipped dust wrappers.Complete in two volumes.'The Rhinegold and the Valkyrie' illustrated with a tipped-in colour frontispiece, and thirty-three tipped-in colour plates.'Siegfried and the Twilight of the Gods' illustrated with a tipped-in colour frontispiece, and twenty-nine tipped-in colour plates.'Arthur Rackham Exhibition' advertising slip loosely inserted.Collated, complete.These two volumes contain Richard Wagner's four epic music dramas, the series being titled 'Der Ring des Nibelungen', or 'The Ring of the Nibelung', or simply the 'Ring Cycle'. These four are 'Das Rheingold'/'The Rhinegold', 'Die Walkure'/'The Valkyrie', 'Siegfried', and 'Gotterdammerung'/'Twilight of the Gods'. All four dramas are in these two volumes.The four dramas are loosely based on characters from Norse mythology and the Nibelungenlied.The plot of the four dramas revolves around a magical ring, that grants the wearer the power to rule the world. It is said that the ring was forged by the Nibelung dwarf Alberich from gold that he stole from the River Rhine's maidens.Wagner wrote the libretto and music over about twenty-six years, from 1848 to 1874. He intended them to be performed in a series, and the first performance of the cycle opened at the first Bayreuth Festival in 1876. Many believe that the composition and story of this cycle raised the standards of the art form. It is also considered that to put on the cycle is one of the biggest challenges any opera company can undertake. Richard Wagner is well remembered today for his operas, which are known for their complex textures, rich harmonies, and for the fact that he wrote both the libretto and music. His 1857-59 work 'Tristan und Isolde' has been considered to lay the groundwork for classical music in the twentieth century, being the start of modern music.Illustrated by Arthur Rackham. Rackham was a book illustrator who illustrated editions of 'The Ingoldsby Legends', 'The Wind in the Willows', 'Grimm's Fairy Tales', and 'Gulliver's Travels', as well as contributing frequently to periodicals. He is considered to be one of the leaders of the 'Golden Age' of book illustrations.Translated from German to English by Margaret Armour, a Scottish translator, poet, and novelist. She also translated worked by Gustav Legerlotz and Heinrich Heine. In the original publisher's cloth binding, in the original unclipped dust wrappers. Externally, smart. Light bumping to the head and tail of the spines and to the extremities. A few light marks to the boards and spines. Spines are a little faded. Hinges of 'Rhinegold' are starting but firm. Front hinge of 'Siegfried' is strained. Spots to the endpapers. Dust wrappers are a little edge worn, heavier to the head and tail of the spines, with chips. A few light marks to the wraps, a small tide mark to the spine of 'Rhinegold', and a small tide mark to the spine and extremity of the front wrap of 'Siegfried'. Spines are age-toned. Very small chip to the front wrap. Internally, firmly bound. Pages are bright with some spotting. Very Good
Seller: Rooke Books PBFA, Bath, United Kingdom
Price: US$3528.98 + shipping
Description: Signed limited editions, number 891 and 87 respectively of 1,150 copies signed by the illustrator. Fred Gettings notes that "in the final picture of Siegfried. there is a lyric beauty of colour, line and form which Rackham rarely achieves again. This is Rackham's personal style taken to its highest point of expressive delicacy". Fred Gettings, Arthur Rackham, London, Studio Vista, 1975, pp. 130-31; Riall, p. 109. Two volumes, quarto. Original white vellum, lettering on spines and front covers in gilt, decoration on front covers in gilt, top edges gilt and others untrimmed. Colour frontispieces and 62 colour plates mounted on thick brown paper, with captioned tissue guards, black and white illustrations in the text, all by Arthur Rackham. Some soiling to bindings, extremities of first volume bumped, some scratches and abrasions to first volume, some internal foxing and browning, lacking silk ties, else good copies.
Seller: Peter Harrington. ABA/ ILAB., London, United Kingdom
Price: US$3849.80 + shipping
Description: Signed limited editions, number 553 and 769 respectively of 1,150 copies signed by the illustrator. Fred Gettings notes that "in the final picture of Siegfried. there is a lyric beauty of colour, line and form which Rackham rarely achieves again. This is Rackham's personal style taken to its highest point of expressive delicacy". Fred Gettings, Arthur Rackham, London, Studio Vista, 1975, pp. 130-1; Riall, p. 109. Two volumes, quarto. Original white vellum, lettering on spines and front covers in gilt, decoration on front covers in gilt, top edges gilt and others untrimmed, two ties remaining one of which detached. Colour frontispieces and 62 colour plates mounted on thick brown paper, with captioned tissue guards, black and white illustrations in the text, all by Arthur Rackham. Contemporary gift inscription to front free endpapers. Tiny indentation to front cover of Rhinegold, split to front inner joint of the same (still firm), contents with some offsetting from illustrations and mounts, vol. II pp. 129-138 with small brown stain at foot, very good copies, bindings fresh.
Seller: Peter Harrington. ABA/ ILAB., London, United Kingdom