Folklore: British Ballads Illustrated by Rackham

Subject: Folklore: British Ballads Illustrated by Rackham
From: Bonnie Shaljean
Date: 03 Oct 14 - 10:29 AM

These may be of interest to anyone who likes antique books or Victoriana (sorry, I don't know which ballads are included):


British Ballads Illustrated by Arthur Rackham £125

http://www.modernfirsteditions.com/product/somebritishball230296180.html

170 pages The blue cloth bound edition of Arthur Rackham's illustrated edition of Some British Ballads. Sixteen tipped in coloured plates with tissue guards. A little fading to the spine and foxing to the endpapers, otherwise a very good copy.


Scottish Keepsake Album c 1850 £125

http://www.modernfirsteditions.com/buy/scottishkeepsak33796320.html

A handmade album of tinted views of Cumbria and Scotland from the mid-victorian period. The compiler has handsewn two embossed sheets of card with decorative pink ribbon flourishes to form the binding of the album. This front and rear covers are decorated with two pencil drawings of Holyrood Chapel. Internally there are ten pages of images, each card stitched to the card page with red thread, moving from Cumbria into the Scottish Highlands with a final section on Edinburgh. There is no hint as to ownership or whether this was the work of a tourist or a Scot.


About the seller (based in Yorkshire, near Leeds):

http://www.modernfirsteditions.com/about-us.html

http://www.modernfirsteditions.com/contact.html

Subject: RE: Folklore: British Ballads Illustrated by Rackham
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 03 Oct 14 - 11:20 AM

I love Rackham, indeed -- along with Walter Crane & Randolph Caldecott & Kate Greenaway*, but think it a bit late for me to start collecting more books.

But many thanks for the hedszup, Bonnie.

≈M≈

*Wonder why all those great Victorian children's illustrators were all so alliterative on the Cs & Ks!

Subject: RE: Folklore: British Ballads Illustrated by Rackham
From: Jack Blandiver
Date: 03 Oct 14 - 11:37 AM

Here's the Rackham online:

https://archive.org/details/somebritishballa00rack

Having just spent much of the week relocating much of my library, I'm hardly in the frame of mind to buy more, though I'm always up for stray volumes of Randolph Caldecott:

Here's a treasure : 1883

Subject: RE: Folklore: British Ballads Illustrated by Rackham
From: Bonnie Shaljean
Date: 03 Oct 14 - 11:40 AM

I've always loved his illustrations to Alice In Wonderland and never cared much for Tenniel. They unnerved me as a kid - I saw those before the Disneyfied ones so they're the images that stick.

Subject: RE: Folklore: British Ballads Illustrated by Rackham
From: Bonnie Shaljean
Date: 03 Oct 14 - 11:41 AM

Brilliant links, Jack - thanks! (I cross-posted with you...)

Subject: RE: Folklore: British Ballads Illustrated by Rackham
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 03 Oct 14 - 02:02 PM

I enjoy Arthur Rackham's work, but I would not pay that much for a book. I also like the illustations of Jessie Willcox Smith, who illustrated "A Child's Garden of Verses."

It saddens me when I see the cheap, junky art which our children see today - Smurfs, SpongeBob, Disney princesses with arch, knowing expressions - instead of beautiful, quality illustrations.

By the way, are you familiar with the book "Rain Makes Applesauce"? a Caldecott Medal winner, it's a real beauty.

Subject: RE: Folklore: British Ballads Illustrated by Rackham
From: GUEST,punkfolkrocker
Date: 03 Oct 14 - 02:28 PM

When I was a student back in the early 80s
I collected a fair few nicely illustrated 1880s / 1890s H Rider Haggard books
for about 3 or 4 quid each from a city centre bookseller...

In my 20s, Haggard & Conrad were my favourite authors,

Now stored in a box in a back room for so long, I dread to think what condition they might be in..

Subject: RE: Folklore: British Ballads Illustrated by Rackham
From: Bonnie Shaljean
Date: 03 Oct 14 - 03:15 PM

When she was little my mother had a book of poetry called Rhymes For Kindly Children which in later years she and my grandmother used to read aloud to me as a girl. It was published in the 1920s or 'teens and, along with some content of decent weight, featured the most beautiful line-drawings, delicately tinted by what must have been watercolour from the look of it. I still have it, buried somewhere in this Aladdin's Cave of a house.

My favourite picture illustrated a poem contrasting Night and Day, as personified by a lovely serene lady floating in a dark starry sky above a giant crescent moon, and an active jolly man dressed in bright primary colours, playing - I think - a bugle. I would gladly frame Miss Night and display her on my wall if I could get her enlarged sufficiently. (Maybe I can. Maybe I will. Have to find her first, though.)

Is anybody else familiar with this book? It was a beloved childhood treasure and contained some serious lessons in how to live.

Subject: RE: Folklore: British Ballads Illustrated by Rackham
From: Bonnie Shaljean
Date: 03 Oct 14 - 03:29 PM

Published in 1916. I see that Johnny Gruelle did the drawings. He also illustrated the Raggedy Ann books. I had those too, and loved them. (Sorry, can't get it to Clickify)

http://www.gopixpic.com/844/rhymes-for-kindly-children-24/http:%7C%7Cwww*childrensbooksonline*org%7CRhymes_for_Kindly_Children%7Cimages%7C24_Rhymes_for_Kindly_Children*jpg/

Subject: RE: Folklore: British Ballads Illustrated by Rackham
From: Jack Blandiver
Date: 03 Oct 14 - 03:57 PM

Thought I'd share this. Anyone fancy a stroll??

The Road in Storyland, 1932;

Subject: RE: Folklore: British Ballads Illustrated by Rackham
From: michaelr
Date: 03 Oct 14 - 08:52 PM

My, that Rackham book is gorgeous! Thanks for posting the link, Jack.

Subject: RE: Folklore: British Ballads Illustrated by Rackham
From: GUEST,Brian Grayson
Date: 03 Oct 14 - 09:03 PM

I have a facsimile copy (photo'd from the original, including the coloured front binding) which I downloaded free from the Gutenberg Project. It's lovely. Go thou and do likewise!

Subject: RE: Folklore: British Ballads Illustrated by Rackham
From: bubblyrat
Date: 04 Oct 14 - 08:11 AM

Was he a descendant of "Calico Jack" the pirate ?? I only asked !