THE RHINEGOLD & THE VALKYRIE by Wagner, Richard; Armour, Margaret [Translator]; Rackham, Arthur [Illustrator] - 1910

Easton Press, 2001. First Thus. Leather Binding. As New. An 'as new' set of the two volumes. First volume still in original shrinkwrap - never opened, second volume opened but also as new. Bound in full red leather decorated in gilt, all edges gilt, silk moire endpapers. Laid in loose are the Collector's Notes and unusused Easton Press bookplate.

London: William Heinemann, 1910. Includes leaflet advertising Arthur Rackham exhibition at the Leicester Galleries London in 1910. Arthur Rackham illustrated plates clean and bright. Pages bright with some light spotting or foxing. Cracked gutter at half-title page, blank page between front endpaper and half-title page heavily spotted and partially detached from spine. Binding firm. Chipping to head and foot of spine. Rubbing and some shelf wear to boards.. First Edition. Hard. Good Minus. Illus. by Rackham, Arthur. 4to.

London: William Heinemann Ltd, 1914. Cloth. Very Good Indeed. 10" by 7.5". Arthur Rackham. A very pleasing copy of this stunningly illustrated copy of The Rhinegold & The Valkyrie The 1914 impression of the English translation of this popular opera by German composer Richard Wagner. Thanks to the accompanying stunning illustrations by Arthur Rackham, the world and characters in this opera really come to life, giving the reader a well-rounded experience that only the live performance could exceed. During the "Golden Age" of British book illustration, Rackham was one of its leading artists. He used expressive line paired with a subtle use of watercolour to create his beautiful images. This work contains examples of Rackham's ethereal figures such as his fairy tale characters and his grotesque and fantastic. Inscription in pencil to pastedown by previous owner: "With best wishes for Xmas and the New Year to Teddy Bear, H.M."  Containing 36 illustrations and coloured plates… Read More

London; New York: William Heinemann; Doubleday, Page, & Co, 1910. First edition. Cloth. Very Good/Good Only. 10" by 7.5". Arthur Rackham. 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… Read More

UK: William Heinemann, 1910. 1st Edition . Hardcover. Very Good. 4to - over 9¾ - 12" tall. Rackham, Arthur. Both volumes first trade editions (preceded in the same year by a vellum-bound, signed, limited edition). 180pp, 160pp with 36 tipped-in colour plates in volume 1 and 30 in volume 2, all with captioned tissue-guards. Plates complete. Contains the text of Wagner's mammoth opera. Illustrated with headpieces. Characters' names in gothic font. Original tan buckram boards with extensive gilt decoration and lettering (a little worn, rubbed at corners and spine ends, a few mild marks). Internally a little faint foxing, previous owner's inscriptions, dated 1957, on both front free endpapers. Richly decorated, elegant endpapers. Nice set. A large and heavy set which will incur an additional charge for overseas delivery. Reasonable offers welcome.