Tales and fairy stories by Hans Christian Anderson

Illustrated by Henry Warren. London : George Routledge, 1853. First edition, second issue of this English translation (some issues have the date of 1852). Duodecimo, half calf over marbled papered boards (recased, the original spine laid down, edges rubbed), bookplate to front pastedown, pp. iv; 401, engraved plates with tissue guards, internally fine, a very good copy.

Anderson’s works were first published in English in 1846, this is an early edition of Madame Clara de Chatelain’s famous translation of the original dark and violent stories by the famous Danish author. As stated in her introduction ‘she has, in the instance of the “Red Shoes,” departed purposely from the text, as the close of the story was really too repulsive to be admitted within these, in all other respects, blameless and eminently humanizing pages’.