PHANTASTES: A FAERIE ROMANCE FOR MEN AND WOMEN. London: Smith, Elder and Co., 65, Cornhill, 1858. Octavo, pp. [1-4] [1] 2-323 [324: blank], original decorated dark green pebbled cloth, front and rear panels stamped in blind, spine panel stamped in gold, cream endpapers, all edges untrimmed. First edition. Of the many binding variants possible for this book, this copy most closely resembles Wolff's copy II. The author's first prose book. A cornerstone of nineteenth-century fantastic literature. "An allegorical novel, strongly influenced by early nineteenth century German Romanticism, particularly Novalis, whom the author frequently quotes ... PHANTASTES is a sometimes brilliant, sometimes cloying story of great originality." - Bleiler, The Guide to Supernatural Fiction 1066. "... a work of the most vivid imaginative power, serving as a -- perhaps the -- seminal work of modern fantasy. The tale presents an archetypal view of faeryland, where those who enter 'must go on, and go through it' ... MacDonald's place at the fountainhead of fantasy is not due solely to this work, but even if this were all that we had of him, it would assure him of a place among the great fantasists. His impact on Lewis is immeasurable ... and his influence on Carroll, Dunsany, Lindsay, Tolkien, Le Guin, and many, many more makes him a must for all readers of fantasy." - Tymn (ed), Fantasy Literature: a Core Collection, pp. 131-2. Ashley, Who's Who in Horror and Fantasy Fiction, p. 124. Barron (ed), Fantasy Literature 2-116. Bleiler, The Guide to Supernatural Fiction 1066. Bleiler (ed), Supernatural Fiction Writers: Fantasy and Horror, pp. 240-41. Locke, A Spectrum of Fantasy, p. 146. Manlove, Modern Fantasy, pp. 55-98. Schlobin, The Literature of Fantasy 701. Survey of Modern Fantasy Literature III, pp. 1241-5. Tymn (ed), Fantasy Literature, pp. 131-32. Waggoner, The Hills of Faraway 638. Bleiler (1978), p. 129. Reginald 09424. Sadleir 1479. Wolff 4296a. NCBEL III 945. Shaberman 8. Small 1870 gift inscription at top edge of half title page. Professional restoration to spine ends, overall, a very good, much better than average copy. Enclosed in a custom cloth clamshell box. (#144980).
Price: $4,500.00
No statement of printing.