1971 Tales of Mystery & Imagination by Edgar Allan Poe / First Edition, Minerva Press / Large Deluxe Edition Illustrated by Harry Clarke

This is an impressive eye-catching edition of Edgar Allan Poe's Tales of Mystery and Imagination. Published in a large format luxury version by The Minerva Press, London in 1971 and extensively illustrated by Harry Clarke. Being a facsimile of the original illustrated edition from 1919. The Tales are the first complete collection of the American author, essayist and poet's works. They received their widest audience posthumously, the author having died aged 40. This particular version is described on the dust jacket thus:

"Poe's talent is skilfully complemented by the intricate fantasies of Harry Clarke's illustrations. Never before...have these marvellous tales been visually interpreted with such flesh-creeping, brain-haunting illustrations of horror and terror, and the unspeakable. The twenty-four full-page plates and the numerous vignettes are among the best work of one of the century's most subtle illustrators of the bizarre and horrific; together writer and artist create a sumptuous and desirable volume".

This copy is in very good condition and comes with the original dust jacket. The pages are all clean, bright and tightly bound. There is a neatly written inscription on the verso of the front free endpaper dated 1974 but no other writing or markings of previous ownership. The top of the closed page edges are tinted grey/blue. 

Blue cloth boards with delightful gilt decoration have been well protected by the dust wrapper and show no signs of any wear. 

The striking jacket itself is superbly illustrated and is also in top order. Has a 1.5 cm tear on the top front edge just above the " T" in "Tales". A couple of tiny nicks on the rear bottom edge. Also some small nicks to the corners and with some creasing at the spine ends. The rear of the jacket has some very, very faint dark marks but these are hard to spot.

Your vintage copy of Tales of Mystery and Imagination will be wrapped with care in tissue and ribbon* and sent well packaged. I am always happy to add a gift card with message to the parcel.

PLEASE NOTE DIMENSIONS of this large book: H 27 cm x W 22 cm, 382 pages, 1.5 kg. I dispatch worldwide daily from the UK. (There are just a very few countries which I am unable to ship to).

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

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