German Popular Stories, or Grimm's Fairy Tales by Jakob Ludwig Grimm and Carl Wilhelm Grimm.
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FIRST EDITION FIRST IMPRESSIONS of both volumes into English. The first volume being the very scarce first state without the umlaut in ‘marchen’.
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These are the highly scarce first English editions of the stories of the brothers Grimm, the best known of which include:
- Hansel and Gretel
- The Twelve Dancing Princesses
- Sleeping Beauty (Rose-Bud)
- The Golden Goose
- Rumpelstiltskin
- The Elves and the Shoemaker
- The Juniper Tree
... and others
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First English language publication of the most influential compilation of fairy tales. This is the incredibly scarce first issue of both volumes with the first state of the first volume. Translated into English by Edgar Taylor, the publication of these two volumes launched an era in which folklore and fairy tales would stimulate writers to produce an increasingly imaginative literature for children. These two volumes laid the foundation for the huge growth of the children's book genre, with later works like Alice In Wonderland and the Jungle Books relying on a fantastical basis essentially popularised into English speaking culture by the Brothers Grimm. These being the first editions intimately connect you to the literary history which is unattainable through other copies of the works, a truly unique experience.
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Another hugely significant element to these books are the illustrations by George Cruikshank. John Ruskin said with reference to Cruikshank's illustrations in these two first edition volumes: "the etchings are the finest things, next to Rembrandt's, that, as far as I know, have been done since etching was invented. You cannot look at them too much, or copy them too often." It was the illustrations in these two volumes which led Cruikshank to huge fame and later as the illustrator for some of Charles Dickens' best known works.
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It can therefore be quite accurately said that these two volumes connect you to the literary history across the 19th century from the fairy tales themselves and the first introduction of them in the English language, to the superlative quality illustrations, to even Charles Dickens, Lewis Carroll, Rudyard Kipling, and other 19th century writers.
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Condition:
Both text blocks collated as complete including the etched vignette title pages to each volume with a total of 20 of the famous plates by George Cruikshank, toned but significantly better than typically found. Text block to first volume in generally excellent condition with some minor soiling and occasional chips and tears with a repair to pp.23 very partially obscuring a few letters of text. Second volume with some very light spotting but generally a very good clean copy. Hinges to second volume weak with wear to the cloth backed boards; the rear board being loosely attached with a single binding string. Both volumes in contemporary bindings with the first in rubbed and worn half morocco and the second in (probably mid to late) 19th century cloth lacking backstrip but retaining a partial part of the backstrip from the original binding (very scarce indeed!).
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[Cohn 369].
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Full List of Stories:
Volume One: Hans in Luck, the Travelling Musicians, the Golden Bird, the Fisherman and His Wife, the Tomtit and the Bear, the Twelve Dancing Princesses, Rose-Bud, Tom Thumb, the Grateful Beasts, Jorinda and Joringel, the Wonderful Muscicians, the Queen Bee, the Dog and the Sparrow, Frederick and Catherine, the Three Children of Fortune, King Grisly-Beard, Chantieleer and Partlet, Snow-Drop, the Elves and the Shoemaker, the Turnip, the Lady and the Lion, the Jew in the Bush, the King of the Golden Mountain, the Golden Goose, Mrs Fox, Hansel and Grettel, the Giant and the Three Golden Hairs, the Frog-Prince, the Fox and the Horse, Rumpelstiltskin.
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Volume Two: the Goose Girl, Faithful John, the Blue Light, Ashputtel, the Young Giant and the Tailor, the Crows and the Soldier, Peewit, Hans and His Wife, Cherry or the Frog Bride, Mother Holle, the Water of Life, Peter the Goatherd, the Four Clever Brothers, the Elfin Grove, the Salad, the Nose, the Five Servants, Catskin, the Robber Bridegroom, the Three Sluggards, the Seven Ravens, Roland and Maybird, the Mouse the Bird and the Sausage, the Juniper Tree
