RACKHAM, 17 VOLUMES OF LIMITED EDITION BOOKS ILLUSTRATED BY RACKHAM, 1905-1931, (17 VOLUMES)

Washington Irving. Rip Van Winkle. William Heinemann, 1905. number 170 of 250 copies signed by the artist, 51 colour plates, bowed J.M. Barrie. Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens. Hodder & Stoughton, 1906. number 492 of 500 copies signed by the artist, 50 colour plates, bowed Charles Lutwidge Dodgson. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. William Heinemann, [1906]. number 343 of 1,130 copies, 13 colour plates; Thomas Ingoldsby. The Ingoldsby Legends. J.N. Dent & Co., 1907. number 228 of 560 copies signed by the artist, 24 colour plates, frontispiece with creasing to corner; William Shakespeare. A Midsummer-Nights Dream. William Heinemann, 1908. number 457 of 1,000 copies signed by the artist, 40 colour plates, spotting and staining, significant soiling to boards; The Brothers Grimm. Fairy Tales. Constable & Company Ltd., 1909. number 529 of 750 copies signed by the artist, 40 colour plates, silk ties loose; Charles and Mary Lamb. Tales from Shakespeare. J.M. Dent & Co., 1909. number 6 of 750 copies signed by the artist, 13 colour plates, including the "Puck" plate which only appears in this large paper edition, silk ties, internal water damage, significant soiling to boards; Jonathan Swift. Gulliver's Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World. J.M. Dent & Co., 1909. number 6 of 750 copies signed by the artist, 13 colour plates, some internal browning and staining; Richard Wagner. The Rhinegold & The Valkyrie. Translated by Margaret Armour. William Heinemann, 1910. number 955 of 1,150 copies signed by the artist, 34 colour plates, some light offsetting; Richard Wagner. Siegfried & The Twilight of the Gods. William Heinemann, 1911. number 955 of 1,150 copies signed by the artist, 30 colour plates; Aesop. Fables. William Heinemann, 1912. number 424 of 1,450 copies signed by the artist, 13 colour plates, internal spotting; Arthur Rackham's Book of Pictures. Heinemann, 1913. number 440 of 1,030 copies signed by the artist, 44 colour plates, previous ownership inscription on front free endpaper; Charles Dickens. A Christmas Carol. William Heinemann, [1915]. number 202 of 525 copies signed by the artist, 12 colour plates, water damage; Alfred W. Pollard. The Romance of King Arthur and His Knights of the Round Table Abridged from Malory's Morte D'Arthur. Macmillan and Co., 1917. number 479 of 500 copies signed by the artist, 16 colour plates; Algernon Charles Swinburne. The Springtide of Life. William Heinemann, 1918. number 28 of 765 copies signed by the artist, 9 colour plates, rubbed; Some British Ballads. Constable & Co Ltd., [1919]. number 81 of 575 copies signed by the artist, 16 colour plates Izaak Walton. The Complete Angler. George C. Harrap & Co. Ltd., [1931]. number 744 of 775 copies signed by the artist, 12 colour plates, small crack to spine; all 4to, majority with captioned tissue guards, often numerous other illustrations throughout the text, cream buckram or vellum pictorial gilt, spines gilt, top edges gilt, boards soiled, (17)

Condition is described in the main body of the catalogue, where appropriate.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Widely regarded as one of the leading illustrators from the “Golden Age” of British Book Illustration, these Arthur Rackham Deluxe Limited Editions were introduced with Rip Van Winkle in 1905 (present in this set). The specially bound  'Gift Books', were signed by Rackham and printed on handmade paper.  They were traditionally given as Christmas gifts.