The Nights of Straparola.
London: Lawrence and Bullen, 1894. 2 volume set, 11 inches tall. A superb full citron morocco by Zaehnsdorf with gilt raised bands, simple but most elegant gilt pallets to the panels and a series of gilt fillets framing the boards. Gilt dentelles and top edges, the remaining edges untrimmed. One of a deluxe limited edition of just 210 copies printed on Japanese vellum. The spines are slightly darkened but are still bright, otherwise pristine. From the Library of the Late Christopher Foyle of Beeleigh Abbey and with the bookplate of Ernest G. Mocatta. This translation, by W.G. Waters, is the first into English. With 20 plates by E.R. Hughes. A collector and writer of short stories, Straparola published this collection of stories sometimes called 'The Facetious Nights' or 'The Pleasant Nights'. This collection includes some of the first known printed versions of fairy tales in Europe. Charles Perrault and the brothers Grimm both developed some of his tales.