Classic Myth and Legend – A. R. Hope Moncrieff (Gresham Publishing, c.1910)

This Gresham Publishing edition (c.1910–1920) is of interest to collectors of Edwardian illustrated gift books, classical mythology, and decorative antique bindings.

About: A good copy in the original decorated green and gilt cloth, no dust jacket as issued. Boards show a stain to the lower front panel and some general soiling; spine head worn and slightly darkened; gilt lettering and decorative blocking remain bright and legible. Text block toned throughout as expected for the period; colour plates present and clean including the striking Leighton frontispiece. A sound, displayable copy with handsome period binding.

Details:

• Title: Classic Myth and Legend
• Author: A. R. Hope Moncrieff
• Publisher: Gresham Publishing Co., London
• Publication Date: c.1910–1920
• Edition: Gresham edition
• Binding: Hardcover, original decorated green and gilt cloth
• Illustrator: Various (colour plates throughout, frontispiece after Leighton)
• Condition: Good
• Dust Jacket Condition: None issued

Synopsis: Gresham Publishing edition of Moncrieff's popular retelling of classical mythology, in the original decorative cloth binding with colour plates. An attractive Edwardian gift book for collectors of illustrated antiquarian volumes.

Review: A. R. Hope Moncrieff's Classic Myth and Legend is a comprehensive and accessible retelling of the principal myths of ancient Greece and Rome, covering the origins of the gods, the great heroes, and the legendary cycles from Theseus and the Argonauts to the fall of Troy. First published in the early twentieth century, it was a popular gift book of its era, notable for its readable prose and lavish colour plate illustrations drawn from the great academic painters of the Victorian and Edwardian periods.