Tales at Tea-Time, Fairy Stories (1874) - Illustrated Antique Book

Here is a charming, antique copy of Tales at Tea-Time, Fairy Stories by EH Knatchbull-Hugessen. Published in 1872 by Macmillan and Co. London. With superb black and white illustrated plates. Re-backed, and now in very good condition. More details below.

Edward Hugessen Knatchbull-Hugessen, 1st Baron Brabourne (1829–1893), was a prominent British politician who "moonlighted" as a highly successful author of Victorian fairy tales. Despite his busy career as an MP and Under-Secretary of State, he published at least one collection of fantasy stories nearly every year between 1869 and the end of his life.

Unlike many of his contemporaries who wrote strictly moralistic tales, Knatchbull-Hugessen’s stories were noted for being "light and brilliant" while still containing a notable amount of violence and fantastical danger.

J.R.R. Tolkien explicitly cited Knatchbull-Hugessen as a significant childhood influence. He particularly remembered a story about an ogre that disguised itself as a tree to catch its dinner—a concept some scholars link to the inspiration for Ents or Old Man Willow.

He was the great-nephew of Jane Austen and edited the first major collection of her letters in 1884.

Contents: The Pea-Green Nose; War in Dolldom; The River King; Story of a Horse; Sybil's Vision; The Boy With a Tail; The Search After Happiness; The Man Who Made The Best of Everything.

Inside the pages are clean and tightly bound. Spotting to endpapers and then scattered through the text. No writing or markings of previous ownership. Toning to top edge. There are six wonderful illustrated plates (see photos). All in very good condition.

Blue cloth backed boards have ornate black and gilt decoration to the front and spine. Has been re-backed and so is now very squarely and tightly bound. Original spine cloth re-laid (see photos), and keeping original endpapers. Rounding to corner tips. Gilt decoration remains bright and the illustrations charming.

Your antique copy of Tales at Tea-Time will be wrapped with care in tissue and ribbon* and sent well packaged with tracking and insurance. I am always happy to include a gift message in the parcel if desired.

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H 19 cm x W 13.5 cm, (iv), pp. 357, (cat. pp. 59), 0.54 kg. I dispatch daily from the UK.

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

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