HOFFMAN, [E. T. A.]; Mario LABOCCETTA [Illus.] ~ Tales of Hoffman

FIRST UK PRINTING. George G. Harrap & Co. Ltd., London: 1932

Large 8vo., rust-red boards lettered and decorated in grey, black and blind to upper cover and spine; upper edge red; together in the unclipped pictorial dustwrapper (21/- net) featuring a design by Laboccetta; decorative title and 41 other full colour illustrations by Laboccetta, including headpieces, tailpieces, in text and full page; THE BOOK with boards a little sunned at edges and spine, slight scuffing to outer corners, else near-fine; THE DUSTWRAPPER very good, seldom found at all, here with some dirtying to folds and overall sunning; a little rubbed and spotted at edges, with two closed tears to the head and foot of spine, 3 and 3.5cm respectively; sometime repaired internally with tape, now removed, with residue remaining. The wrapper is protected in a removable Brodart archival cover. First edition with these illustrations. E. T. A. Hoffman (1776-1822) was a German author, and a prolific writer of gothic, horror and fantasy stories. Most famous today for penning the novella on which 'The Nutcracker' ballet is based, Hoffman considered to be one of the major figures in the Romantic movement of the 19th century. Here, the publishers have chosen five stories ('The Interdependence of Things'; 'The Sandman'; 'The Mystery of the Deserted House'; 'The Lost Reflection' and 'The Walled-in Door'), to be illustrated by Mario Laboccetta. Laboccetta was an Italian artist, born in 1899, who spent much of his early career painting scenery and stage settings for a travelling marionette theatre. Later, he gained fame in Paris for his illustrations in fashion magazines and for his poster designs, many of which were Surrealist in tone with abstract landscapes and warped figures. A perfect collaboration between these dark and twisted tales, and the strangely vibrant illustrations. Scarce in the dustwrapper.

BINDING: Hardcover
CONDITION: Near Fine
JACKET: Very Good