1871 The Story of Robin Hood by William Heaton - Scarce Antique Book

Here is an important book in the timeline and evolution of Robin Hood literature. Being a scarce antique copy of The Story of Robin Hood by William Heaton. Undated, but being a second edition published by Cassell, Petter and Galpin in 1871. With six chromolithograph colour plates. This rebacked copy has some wear - but remains a super find. More details below.

The version by Heaton marks a critical structural transition in English folklore: the exact moment Robin Hood evolved from an adult, often violent folk-hero into a clean, moralised protagonist for children. Historically, the public did not read Robin Hood as a single, linear story. He was a scattered collection of rhythmically dense 15th-century poems (like A Gest of Robyn Hode) filled with archaic language. Heaton’s book took these disjointed fragments and systematically wove them into a single, chronological prose novel. He bridged the gaps between the old poems, giving the legend a definitive beginning, middle and end for the first time.

Inside the pages are tightly bound, with no inscriptions or markings of previous ownership. Has some light staining to the front and rear newer yellow endpapers. With handling marks throughout the text, and the occasional brown blemish. All edges are gilt. The colour plates are all in top order.

Dark red/brown cloth over boards have gilt and black decoration to the front and spine. With rubbing and scuffs to the cloth and some light stain marks to the back. It has been rebacked (hence the new endpapers) and so is very tightly bound. The decoration and titles have rubbed and dulled in places.

Your antique copy of The Story of Robin Hood will be wrapped with care in tissue and ribbon* and sent well packaged. I am always happy to add a gift card with a message to the parcel.

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H 17 cm x W 14 cm, 219 pages, 0.43 kg. I dispatch worldwide daily from the UK (with the exception of a small number of countries).

* If you would prefer for your parcel not to be decoratively wrapped but sent simply in the full protective packaging, please add a note to the order.

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