ANDERSEN (Hans Christian). Eventyr og historier… [Fairy Tale - Lot 2

ANDERSEN (Hans Christian). Eventyr og historier… [Fairy Tales and Stories]— Nye Eventyr og historier… [New Fairy Tales and Stories]. Copenhagen, C.A. Reitzels, 1877 & 1870–1874, 2 series in 5 in-8 volumes, 12.5 x 16.5 cm, 2 blank folios, 3 folios, 440 pp., 1 blank folio, frontispiece and title-frontispiece & 1 blank folio, 3 folios, 412 pp., 1 blank folio, title-frontispiece & 1 blank folio, 5 folios, 344 pp., 1 blank folio & 1 blank folio, 5 folios, 336 pp., 1 blank folio & 1 blank folio, 5 folios, 340 pp., 1 folio, 1 blank folio, publisher’s cardboard binding, signed Chr. Danielsen, in red percaline, with a broad gold and black historiated design on the front covers, a border and the publisher’s mark embossed in the center on the back covers, and smooth spines entirely adorned lengthwise with a gold and black historiated design. The first collected edition and first illustrated edition of Andersen’s famous fairy tales, one of the major works of 19th-century world literature. The first two volumes (constituting the fifth edition of the Fairy Tales…) were published posthumously. The following three were extensively revised by the author. The magnificent woodcut illustrations, based on works by Lorenz Frølich, include 534 sketches—including a frontispiece with a tinted background (as well as the two title-frontispieces of the *Tales*)— and 47 plates (included in the page count) which, widely reproduced thereafter, left a lasting impression on generations of readers around the world and remain inextricably linked to the legend of Andersen. Illustrated cardboard covers based on designs by Anker Lund, virtually identical for both series. Good condition. A few foxing spots. Pages 179–180 of Volume III are torn but complete. Spines slightly sun-faded; the edges and corners of *Tales…* are fragile and slightly rubbed with small losses; slight discoloration on the back cover of Volume I of *Tales…*; the edges of *New Tales…* are fragile and slightly rubbed. Handwritten bookplates in Gabrielsen ink; the first is dated October 24, 1892, on the inside front cover of the first volume, the second appears in each volume, and there is a color LA bookplate in each volume. PMM 299 (“Andersen’s stories signaled a new and fundamentally different approach to writing books for children”). Appraiser: Cédric and Ithier de FOUGEROLLE