The Tale of Fair Lily and the Green Serpent
San Francisco: Didymus Press [printed at The Press in Tuscany Alley], 1974. Arnold, Ann. Limited Edition. Hardcover. One of 300 copies, quarto size, [51] pp. Near fine. Item #18032307
The Green Snake and the Beautiful Lily (Märchen or Das Märchen) is a fairy tale by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832), first published in 1795 in Friedrich Schiller's magazine "Die Horen" (The Horae). It concludes Goethe's novella rondo "Conversations of German Emigrants" (1795), and is regarded as the founding example of the genre of "Kunstmärchen," or artistic fairy tale. The action of the story and its characters are continually faced with the dilemma of crossing a river, or temporarily bridging it. The story acts as a metaphor or parable for the divide between the internal and external world, and the aspirations of man to permanently bridge the two.
This was the first book illustrated by Ann Arnold, and the last time she worked in linoleum. The illustrations were prepared during a class with Jack Stauffacher who was a Regents Professor at Cowell College at UC Santa Cruz; the book was printed at The Press in Tuscany Alley, so well know in the San Francisco Bay Area printing scene.
___DESCRIPTION: Original full green cloth, dark green lettering on the backstrip, cream laid paper endpapers, five linocuts (one in green ink); Lutetia type, Strathmore Artlaid paper, quarto size (12" by 8"), [i-iv] [1] 2-45 [46] [1 colophon] pp., limited edition of 300 copies, unnumbered.
___CONDITION: Near fine overall, internally bright and free of prior owner markings, boards are clean though slightly bowed and age-toned at edges, corners are straight, text block is straight and tight; the backstrip is sunned and with some offsetting to the endpapers, fine internally, with better than very good binding.
___POSTAGE: International customers, please note that additional postage may apply as the standard shipping charge does not always cover costs; please inquire for details.
___Swan's Fine Books is pleased to be a member of the ABAA, ILAB, and IOBA and we stand behind every book we sell. Please contact us with any questions you may have, we are here to help.
Price: $70.00