Danish Fairy Legends and Tales.

Publisher: London: William Pickering, 1846

Stock code: 38831

Price: £2,000 Convert

First Edition translated into English from the Danish. Two shorter selections of Hans Andersen's stories had first appeared earlier in the same year, translated by Mary Howitt and by Charles Boner, both taken from German translations. This translation was taken directly from the Danish, anonymously but by Caroline Peachey. It contains a selection of 14 stories (larger than the two previous selections), some under their well-known English titles for the first time, including "The Ugly Duckling", "The Little Mermaid", "The Emperor's New Clothes" and "The Real Princess" ("The Princess and the Pea"). "Andersen's work was immediately naturalized into English children's literature, and was the second great element, after Grimm, in the revival of public enthusiasm for fairy tale and fantasy" (Carpenter and Prichard, 22).With the pencilled ownership inscription of J. P. Peachey at the head of the half-title, therefore perhaps a family copy, although few biographical details are known about Caroline Peachey and we cannot know whether she is related to the J. P. Peachey of this inscription. A James Pearce Peachey was called to the Bar at the Inner Temple in 1851; he published A Treatise on the Law of Marriage and other Family Settlements, with Precedents and Practical Notes in 1860. Again, whether or not this is the same J. P. Peachey, we do not know. With a pencilled inscription in a different hand to blank facing title, and on the title, "Translated by Caroline Peachey (died January 2nd 1868.)" This last detail suggests personal knowledge.

Small octavo. Finely bound by The Chelsea Bindery in full dark green morocco, titles and decoration to spine gilt, raised bands, single rule to boards gilt, twin rule to turn-ins gilt, marbled endpapers, top edge gilt. With the original covers bound in at the back. With wood-engraved ornaments and initials at heads of chapters. A fine copy.