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London: Hatchard & Co, 1939. First edition. Very Good +. One of 500 numbered copies (this copy being No. 233), signed by the author and the artist. Quarto (10 1/8 x 7 15/16 inches; 257 x 201 mm.). [10], 189, [1], [1, printer’s imprint], [1, blank] pp. Two color plates. Original quarter vellum over gray cloth boards, spine with navy leather label lettered in gilt. Corners a little bit bumped and one small chip to spine label. Minor soiling to the boards, otherwise an excellent copy. “Publication of this book encountered delays and difficulties because of the outbreak of World War II. Since paper and workmen were fast being commandeered by the British government, the book was rushed into print despite the fact that only 2 Dulac illustrations were finished. Once published, the book received mixed reviews…The redoubtable William Lyon Phelps of Yale also wrote a review stating that Mary Crary’s book ‘…is a fairy story full of grace, beauty, wit, humor and charm…It is meant to be very high praise when I add that the illustrations by Dulac are worthy of the book. They add to its beauty’” (Hughey). However, the illustrations were not the only thing that Dulac designed for this book, he can be credited with the head and tail pieces and overall look. French-born anglophile Edmond Dulac (1882-1953) was one of the most prized artists of the “golden age” of book illustration. A gifted artist, especially in the medium of watercolor, Dulac’s ability to render luxurious detail and subtle emotions is otherworldly. He is best known for his illustrations for books and magazines, although he also designed for the stage and wrote music; in moments of financial insecurity he produced serialized cartoons and became an authority on postage stamp design (White). Hughey 91. Very Good +.