The Welsh Fairy Book by W Jenkyn Thomas, illustrated by Willy Pogany

First thus (Popular edition). Hardback in dustwrapper. Bound in grey green cloth with printed titling to spine and upper board. 21 × 14cm, xiv + 304pp.

First published in 1907, Welsh folklorist William Jenkyn Thomas's The Welsh Fairy Book was considered the definitive collection of Welsh folk tales, and although written for "youthful readers, especially Welsh girls and boys", remains a popular text. This 1935 popular edition comes with the scarce original wrapper. The book contains over 80 tales, rendered into prose by Thomas, and includes tales such as The Lady of the Lake, Arthur in the Cave, The Drowning of the Bottom Hundred, Elidyr's Sojourn in airy-Land, The Cat Witches, Pedws Ffowk and St Elian's Well, Goronwy Tudor and the Witches of Llanddona, and many more. The book is illustrated with a colour frontispiece, full page black and white illustrations and tailpieces by Hungarian artist Willy Pogany.

Condition

The book is in good condition, with some toning to the pages, a little fading to the head of the spine (corresponding to the dustwrapper's loss), and the inner binding is a little pulled (but still very secure) at the title page. Some spotted foxing to page edges. Neat previous owner's inscription to the ffep. The dustwrapper is quite heavily chipped to the edges with some small loss at the spine ends, and light surface abrasion. It has been neatly price-clipped but is now within a protective sleeve. The wrapper is scarce, as is this edition.