[1908] The Welsh Fairy Book by W. Jenkyn Thomas. First Edition.Second Impression

Title: The Welsh Fairy Book.
Author: W. Jenkyn Thomas. 
Illustrator: Willy Pogany. 
Publisher: T. Fisher Unwin: London. 
Published Date: [1908] First Edition. Second Impression. 
Size: 8.5" by 5.5" 
Pagination: xiv, 311, [1pp] Collated Complete. 

The scarce first edition, second impression of this lovely work. Illustrated by the Hungarian graphic artist Willy Pogány, this book was described by the University of Wales Press as 'the finest example of Welsh book illustration to have been produced in the ferment of the early twentieth century.' The author, a Welsh Headmaster and folklorist W. Jenkyn Thomas compiled this work for the young boys and girls of Wales after finding that many of his students didn't know the classic tales of their country. Stories include 'The Lady of the Lake', 'Elidyr's Sojourn in Fairy Land', 'Why the Red Dragon is the Emblem of Wales', 'The Cave of the Young Men in Snowdonia', 'The Cat Witches', 'Pennard Castle', and more.
 
Condition:
Bound in the original publisher's blue decorative cloth, featuring an image of a fairy and gilt lettering to both the front cover and spine. The boards are in very good condition with some wear to the edges, corners and to the head and tail of the spine, which is slightly faded. Decorative endpapers depicting dancing fairies. There is an ink inscription to the half-title page dated 1909. The half title page is partially detached, and the colour frontispiece with tissue-guard are both detached but sitting neatly in place. Otherwise the contents are firmly bound. The pages are lightly age toned with some intermittent foxing, mostly to the preliminary and end-pages. Overall a very good copy of this scarce book of fairy tales.