FAIRY TALES

London: George G. Harrap [David McKay], 1932. Overall near fine.. First Rackham-illustrated edition, US issue, an exceptional survival in the rare original dust jacket and pictorial publisher's box. Rackham selected and illustrated these tales from Andersen after a recent visit to Copenhagen, which "helped me to realize again the sensation I felt as a child when I first read Andersen" (Rackham's preface). Among the stories included are "The Ugly Duckling," "The Snow Queen," "The Princess and the Pea," "The Little Mermaid," and "The Emperor's New Clothes." Quite rare and lovely to find with all the original parts intact, produced for the 1930s gift market. 9.5'' x 7.5''. Original maroon cloth stamped in gilt on front board and spine, including "David McKay" at foot of spine. In original dust jacket with pictorial paste-on color plate, lettered in red, with "McKay at foot of spine and "Printed in Great Britain" at bottom of front flap. In original red publisher's box with same illustration but framed with alternate design on lid. Peach pictorial endpapers, top edge gilt. Illustrated by Rackham with 12 full-page color plates and black-and-white illustrations throughout, many full page. 288 pages. Box with careful repairs and two closed tears to joints. Cloth a trifle dusty, with gilt on spine dulled. Jacket with some wrinkling and a few spots of shallow wear, overall beautifully intact.