SHAKESPEARE, William (playwright). Arthur RACKHAM (illustrator). The Tempest. London; William Heinemann Ltd. 1926

4to.; publisher’s grey/black cloth with gilt pictorial vignettes to spine and upper cover, lettered gilt, top edges plain; pp. [vi], vii-ix, [x] + 185; with elaborate pictorial title in black and white, the frontispiece within a decorative border design by Rackham, and other charming chapters headings and decorations in linem accompanying a total of 20 fine coloured plates by Rackham, all mounted-at-large; a remarkably fresh and crisp copy, both externally and internally, with original, or early textual bookplate of Mollie P. Rippin (quoting from the Classics) neatly affixed to front pastedown endpaper, with small rubbing to spine ends, joint and forecorner tips; internally immaculate with all plates fine.

First Rackham edition.  One of the illustrator’s most popular and beautiful compositions, full of ethereal and delicate illustrations of mystical fairy folk.