Arthur Rackham: The Little Mermaid's Home Life

London publisher George G. Harrap gave us an edition of Hans Christian Andersen's Fairy Tales in 1932 featuring illustrations by Arthur Rackham. A signed edition was issued of five hundred twenty-five copies, five hundred of which were offered for sale. The first nine of these included original illustrations by Rackham; eight of these were for sale to the public.

Copy eight is today on the market from Whitmore Rare Books, Inc., of Pasadena. It contains an original illustration which Rackham has titled The Little Mermaid's Home Life. The book is priced at $37,500. 

Me, I'm just browsing.

Pouring tea underwater must be a neat trick. Ditto for keeping sugar cubes from dissolving. Anderson's mermaid has some distinctly British tastes.

Spine

The limitation page

Title page

Arthur Rackham
AbeBooks listing accessed March 28, 2026

https://www.abebooks.com/signed-first-edition/Fairy-Tales-Signed-limited-edition-original/32414564551/bd

Arthur Rackham
AbeBooks item descritpion

05246

Signed Poster of Ralph Steadman's Little Match Girl

In 1986, Ralph Steadman illustrated The Flying Trunk and Other Stories from Andersen by Naomi Lewis. A poster of "The Little Match Girl" published to support the Save the Children Fund was signed by Mr. Steadman in 1998. It was offered at a reasonable price last year on eBay, but it did not find a buyer.

Ralph Steadman
Signed 1986 poster
"Published in aid of The Save The Children Fund"
"Illustration by Ralph Steadman for 'The Little Match Girl' from
The Flying Trunk and Other Stories from Andersen by Naomi Lewis
Andersen Press · London"

Ralph Steadman's signature, 1998

Ralph Steadman
eBay Listing Retrieved June 13, 2017

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Ralph-Steadman-SIGNED-Save-The-Children-Poster-UK-signed-by-artist-RARE-/263031461739?hash=item3d3de5976b:g:89kAAOSw32lYrxFc

Ralph Steadman
eBay Item Description

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Arthur Rackham: The Lapp Woman Wrote a Few Words on a Dried Stockfish

An original illustration by Arthur Rackham for "The Snow Queen" by Hans Christian Andersen has turned up in the inventory of David Brass Rare Books in California. It dates from Rackham's 1932 edition of Andersen's Fairy Tales. As noted by the bookseller, the published illustration, in which the Lapp Woman writes a few words on a dried stockfish while Gerda eats, is in black and white. Rackham added color and detail to the image to make the original art more marketable. It was exhibited on several occasions, including at the Leicester Galleries in London. Today, it still looks great.

Arthur Rackham, The Lapp Woman Wrote a Few Words on a Dried Stockfish
"The Snow Queen"
Fairy Tales by Hans Andersen, London, 1932, page 32

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/470274386074645535/

Arthur Rackham, colored original book illustration
The Lapp Woman Wrote a Few Words on a Dried Stockfish
"The Snow Queen"
Fairy Tales by Hans Andersen, London, 1932, page 32

Arthur Rackham, framed and colored original book illustration
The Lapp Woman Wrote a Few Words on a Dried Stockfish
"The Snow Queen"
Fairy Tales by Hans Andersen, London, 1932, page 32

Exhibition history includes the Leicester Galleries, London

Arthur Rackham
ABEBooks Listing as of March 24, 2017

https://www.abebooks.com/Lapp-Woman-wrote-few-words-dried/22261659885/bd?cm_ven=nl&cm_cat=trg&cm_pla=want_CM&cm_ite=readmore

Arthur Rackham, framed and colored original book illustration
The Lapp Woman Wrote a Few Words on a Dried Stockfish
"The Snow Queen"
Fairy Tales by Hans Andersen, London, 1932, page 32

Note:  Funny coincidence:  My first draft of this blog post was inscribed on a dried stockfish!


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