Evening Tales: Done Into English from the French of Frederic Ortoli.

HARRIS, Joel Chandler.

$7,500.00

Item Number: 133051

New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1893.

First edition of the author’s charming collection of children’s stories. Octavo, original publisher’s decorated cloth. Association copy, lengthily inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper, “My dear Field: As you have made me a millionaire, it is an easy matter to present you this book, which was already yours. It is also easy as well as true to say that I am Faithfully yours: Joel Chandler Harris. This is Mr. Rabbit that runs in the grass – Oh rise up ladies, and let him pass.” The recipient, Eugene Field, as an American writer, best known for his children’s poetry and humorous essays. Known as the “poet of childhood”, Field first started publishing poetry in 1879, when his poem “Christmas Treasures” appeared in A Little Book of Western Verse. Over a dozen volumes of poetry followed and he became well known for his light-hearted poems for children, among the most famous of which are “Wynken, Blynken, and Nod” and “The Duel” (which is perhaps better known as “The Gingham Dog and the Calico Cat”). Equally famous is his poem about the death of a child, “Little Boy Blue”. Harris was an admirer of Field and originally referred to his house in Atlanta, Georgia as Snap Bean Farm, a reference to fellow author Field’s home Sabine Farm. In near fine condition. With Field’s bookplate to the pastedown. Book design by Margaret Armstrong. Housed in a custom half morocco clamshell box. A significant association.

"Here are fifteen delightful fairy tales that are worth the attention of grown-up folks and will surely delight children... 'A French Tar Baby' and the story of 'Mr. Snail and brother Wolf' are much like the tales Uncle Remus told to his little friend, but most of the others, in their artless simplicity, imaginative wealth, and seemingly-unconscious humor, are more like those unforgettable tales of Hans Christian Andersen" (New York Times Book Review).