Limited Edition Book

STORIES FROM THE ARABIAN NIGHTS. Retold By Laurence Housman and illustrated by Edmund Dulac. Special binding of first trade edition. Publisher Hodder and Stoughton. 50 colour illustrations, each printed separately and glued into place. Slight wear to RH edge. The first printing of Stories from the Arabian Nights in October 1907 was a limited edition of 350 copies signed by the illustrator. And was so sought after that a second print run (1st trade edition) was required in November to provide books to sell at the Leicester Galleries’ November-December showing of Dulac’s work. This exhibition started Dulac’s lengthy relationship with the Leicester Galleries and also with Hodder and Stoughton who henceforth published each year a book with his pictures, thereby solidifying his reputation as an illustrator. The current volume is a special binding of the Nov’07 edition for Tonbridge School (established 1357) having the coat of arms of the School on front cover and that of the Schools governing body, the Worshipful Co. Of Skinners, on back with gilt edged pages and with the title and raised panel edges to the spine but having no other decoration or text to spine or covers. Certificate of presentation as a school prize glued to inside front cover is dated “mcm” which, at first glance, would be 1900 but this must have been intended to be finished by hand to read, say, “mcmviii”, since first edition was only published in 1907.

STORIES FROM THE ARABIAN NIGHTS. Retold By Laurence Housman and illustrated by Edmund Dulac. Special binding of first trade edition. Publisher Hodder and Stoughton. 50 colour illustrations, each printed separately and glued into place. Slight wear to RH edge. The first printing of Stories from the Arabian Nights in October 1907 was a limited edition of 350 copies signed by the illustrator. And was so sought after that a second print run (1st trade edition) was required in November to provide books to sell at the Leicester Galleries’ November-December showing of Dulac’s work. This exhibition started Dulac’s lengthy relationship with the Leicester Galleries and also with Hodder and Stoughton who henceforth published each year a book with his pictures, thereby solidifying his reputation as an illustrator. The current volume is a special binding of the Nov’07 edition for Tonbridge School (established 1357) having the coat of arms of the School on front cover and that of the Schools governing body, the Worshipful Co. Of Skinners, on back with gilt edged pages and with the title and raised panel edges to the spine but having no other decoration or text to spine or covers. Certificate of presentation as a school prize glued to inside front cover is dated “mcm” which, at first glance, would be 1900 but this must have been intended to be finished by hand to read, say, “mcmviii”, since first edition was only published in 1907.