Classic Myth and Legend; Celtic Myth and Legend, Poetry and Romance; Teutonic Myth and Legend; Romance and Legend of Chivalry, Egyptian Myth and Legend; Indian Myth and Legend (Six Volumes) (Myth and Legend in Literature and Art series)

Undated [1912]. Six volume set. First edition. xvi, 444pp, with colour plate frontispiece, seven further colour plates and 40 monochrome plates; xiv, 450pp, with colour plate frontispiece, three further colour plates and 20 monochrome plates; xlviii, 470pp, with colour plate frontispiece, three further colour plates and 31 monochrome plates; xii, 440pp, with colour plate frontispiece, seven further colour plates and 27 monochrome plates; xlix, 404pp, with colour plate frontispiece, seven further colour plates and 33 monochrome plates; xlviii, 464pp, with colour plate frontispiece, seven further colour plates and 32 monochrome plates. In decorated, gilt embellished green cloth boards with gilt lettering front and spine. Company name in gilt on spines. Green endpapers. 8vos. Lovely bright covers, just a little rubbed and rounded at corners and spine tips; Indian Myth and Legend is somewhat sunned over the spine. Some spotting on text block edges, some faint and scattered spotting to pages else internally neat, clean, bright and tight. A handsome set. The Gresham Publishing Company published the first six books in its Myths and Legends series in 1912; two further books were added to the series shortly after but they lacked the deluxe decorations on the covers (with the company name on the spine being blocked in yellow rather than gilt). Further titles in different, inferior binding were added to the series between 1915 and 1930-1, bringing the total number in the series to 12. The first six, as offered here, remain the most desirable and most beautiful. (Publication details given with thanks to the Beautiful Books Blog and its article on ‘Gresham Myth and Legend in Literature and Art series’).

Beautiful Books, Myths, Legends, Gresham Publishing Company, Myth and Legend Series,