Stories from Hans Andersen.

London: Hodder & Stoughton,, 1911. Sheer grace and poetry of feeling Signed limited edition, number 393 of 750 copies signed by the artist. The previous owner, Amanda Severne (1954-2008) of Shakenhurst Hall, Cleobury Mortimer, was herself a book illustrator and also worked in the animation business. She was a "key renderer" on Raymond Briggs's 1982 animated version of The Snowman. A review of the illustrated books of 1911 published in Art and Literature (December 1911) found one reviewer stating "in certain qualities of fantasy and delicate strength, and lurid, imaginative daring, Mr Rackham and Mr Pogany are... inimitable, but for sheer grace and poetry of feeling I am inclined to give the palm to Mr Edmund Dulac. I doubt if Mr Dulac has ever done better work as a book-illustrator than he has put into the series of colour-plates with which he has illustrated Hans Andersen...". The reviewer in the Saturday Review of Politics, Literature, Science and Art (10 December 1911) stated simply that this was "a really beautiful book, with illustrations of exceptional merit. As pictures for children nothing could be more attractive than Mr Dulac's watercolour drawings". Quarto. Original vellum, spine and front cover lettered and decorated in gilt, decorative endpapers, top edge gilt, others untrimmed. Frontispiece and 27 mounted colour plates by Edmund Dulac. Bookseller's label, and bookplate of Cecily Mary Severne to front pastedown, and that of Amanda Caroline Severne to front free endpaper. Binding slightly toned with front cover slightly bowed, lacking ties, light toning to free endpapers, occasional offsetting, occasional finger-soiling; a very good copy with bright uncreased plates. Hughey 27a.