Laboulaye's Fairy Book Fairy Tales of All Nations

New York: Harper & Brothers, 1867. Very good. This rare First Edition of Edouard Laboulaye's delightful collection of fairy tales is translated from the French by Mary L. Booth. Monsieur Laboulaye also added a special Preface for this American edition. This book is hard to come by, mainly because in addition this original printing, it was only printed again the following year and once more in 1920. "Fairy Book" includes twelve tales, although the first, "Perlino" and the last, "Abdallah" are more novella than short story length. The complete contents are as follows: Perlino, a Neapolitan Tale; Yvon and Finette, a Tale of Brittany; The Castle of Life, a Tale of Salerno; Destiny, a Dalmatian Tale; The Twelve Months, a Bohemian Tale; Sswanda, the Piper, a Bohemian Tale; The Gold Bread, a Hungarian Tale; The Story of the Noses, a Bohemian Tale; The Three Citrons, a Neapolitan Tale; Story of Coquerico, a Spanish Tale; King Bizarre and Prince Charming; or, the Art of Governing Men, a Tale of All Nations; and Abdallah, or, the Four-Leaved Clover, an Arabian Tale. Collectors of fairy tales, as well as books concerning fairies and other supernatural creatures, will be delighted by the superlative black-and-white pen-and-ink illustrations that show the Victorian cross-hatching technique at its best. Cross-hatching was a pain-staking method used to provide three-dimensionality, shadow, and depth. The book is in very good condition. It has a deep blue or purplish cloth with gilt spine lettering. As for the interior, the book has decorative floral endpapers, with an erasure mark on the front end paper, presumably where the original owner's name was removed. There is a hinge split between a frontis illustration and the title page, which has been professionally repaiired with Brodart's hinge tape. The binding is otherwise secure, except for one center signature, from Pages 149 through 164, which is partially unattached. The text pages have an occasional tiny stain, but are for the most part quite clean and devoid of foxing problems. Age toning is light. The book measures 5 ¼ by 7 ½ inches and contains 363 pages, plus ads in the rear. See photo (and email me for additional photos).. First Edition. Hard Cover. Very Good/No Jacket. 12mo - over 6¾" - 7¾" tall. Chap Book.