Lot 106


Published by London Cassell, Petter and Galpin New York and London, c. 1870. A very early printing. With 86 magnificent full page illustrations, many smaller illustrations and a portrait frontispiece all by Gustave Doré. 839 pp. A very fine and handsome copy. An impressive tome of some of the best loved fables, including The Grasshopper and the Ant , The hen with the golden eggs and well over 150 more. With his full-page engravings Gustave Doré does his best work with great dramatic flare. The countless smaller illustrations round out the book and make it a truly outstanding publishing endeavor. Many of the fables were in the main adapted from the classical fabulists Aesop, Babrius and Phaedrus. In these, La Fontaine adhered to the path of his predecessors with some closeness; but in others he allowed himself far more liberty and there is a wider range of sources. The Indian Bidpai is drawn upon for oriental fables that had come to the French through translations from Persian. So, while the subject of each of the Fables is often common property of many ages and races, what gives La Fontaine's Fables their rare distinction is the freshness in narration, the deftness of touch, the unconstrained suppleness of metrical structure, and the unfailing humor. Keen insight into the foibles of human nature is also found throughout. Please ask specific questions on details, condition, and shipping prior to bidding, ALL ITEMS ARE SOLD AS IS, and the bidder will be responsible for payment. We box and ship what we can to keep costs low, and use USPS and UPS. Large items, extremely fragile, and high value items will be packed by UPS. Quotes available on request
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Dimensions:
- 10.25" x 12.25" Condition:
- Very Good Condition with no missing or torn pages. The front cover is detached
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