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THE SCARCE FIRST EDITION OF THE FIRST FAIRY TALES. ANDERSEN, HANS CHRISTIAN. 1805-1875. Eventyr, fortalte For Børn. Copenhagen: C. A. Reitzel, [1835-]1837. image 1
THE SCARCE FIRST EDITION OF THE FIRST FAIRY TALES. ANDERSEN, HANS CHRISTIAN. 1805-1875. Eventyr, fortalte For Børn. Copenhagen: C. A. Reitzel, [1835-]1837. image 2
Lot 5

THE SCARCE FIRST EDITION OF THE FIRST FAIRY TALES.
ANDERSEN, HANS CHRISTIAN. 1805-1875.
Eventyr, fortalte For Børn. Copenhagen: C. A. Reitzel, [1835-]1837.

21 – 29 April 2025, 12:00 EDT
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THE SCARCE FIRST EDITION OF THE FIRST FAIRY TALES.

ANDERSEN, HANS CHRISTIAN. 1805-1875. Eventyr, fortalte For Børn. Copenhagen: C. A. Reitzel, [1835-]1837.
First series, comprising 3 pamphlets in one volume. 8vo (120 x 76 mm). General title page dated 1837 and general index only (without half-titles, title pages and indices to each part as usual, see below.) Contemporary morocco-backed and -cornered diced leather gilt, edges gilt, some light wear to edges and corners, final two leaves with repairs to head of gutter margin affecting a few letters in the first few lines, some spotting to text heavier at beginning and end.
Provenance: Emilie (gift inscription from Sandor[?], July 18, 1837).

FIRST EDITION OF THE FIRST SERIES OF THE FIRST CYCLE OF FAIRY TALES, THE FIRST ISSUE OF EACH PART. The complete work was published in two parts as 6 separate pamphlets. According to Hersholt, "in rebinding the pamphlets into volumes the individual title page accompanying each pamphlet was almost always destroyed" (p 26). "During Andersen's lifetime 162 of his Fairy Tales were published, but the scarcest and most difficult to obtain are these ... little pamphlets. We do not know exactly how many, or how few, copies were printed, but we do know that no copy with all the title pages and tables of contents has ever been offered for sale by any dealer or at any auction sale" (Hersholt p 25). The work contains the first publications of "The Princess and the Pea," "Thumbelina," "The Little Mermaid," and "The Emperor's New Clothes." Hersholt, pp 24-27; Nielsen 266, 267-270, 276, 277-279, 303, 304-305.

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