The Ring of the Niblung: A Trilogy with a Prelude by Richard Wagner. The Rhinegold: Prelude; The Valkyrie: First Day of the Trilogy; Siegfried: Second Day of the Trilogy; The Twilight of the Gods: Third Day of the Trilogy. - Richard Wagner, Arthur Rackham (illustrator), Margaret Armour (translator) 1910 - William Heinemann, London - Edition de luxes, each one limited to 1, 150 copies signed by Rackham A magnificent set of Rackham's dramatic interpretation of Wagner's libretti, in the large deluxe vellum bindings, each one numbered and signed by Rackham.

Wagner’s ‘Trilogy, with a Prelude’, his libretti for
The Ring of Niblung cycle, stunningly illustrated by Arthur Rackham, featuring sixty-four beautiful tipped-in colour plates each with descriptive tissue guards, and twenty-three black and white drawings across two volumes.

Translated from the German into English by Margaret Armour.
  The Rhinegold and the Valkyrie number 863 of 1150 limited, signed copies.
Siegfried and the Twilight of the Gods number 467 of 1150 limited, signed copies.

Wagner’s operas are loosely based on characters from the Norse sagas, and the German poem the
Nibelungenlied, the plot revolving around a magic ring that grants the power to rule the world.

Provenance: Large black ink gift calligraphy initials J + L to first blank of the second volume.

Arthur Rackham (1867-1939), English illustrator and water-colourist. One of the foremost and most productive of the Edwardian illustrators, with a preference for illustrating books of a mystical, magic or legendary background. Aided by advances in colour printing at the beginning of the 20th century, his imaginative eye saw all forms with the eyes of childhood and created a world that was half reassuring and half frightening, whilst adding a delightfully humorous flourish to many of his illustrations, although he can descend into darker depths as seen for Wagner and Edgar Allen Poe.

References: House,
Dictionary of British Book Illustrators and Caricaturists 424. Latimore & Haskell, Arthur Rackham: A Bibliography, 37-38. Riall, A New Bibliography of Arthur Rackham,103,109.

Two quarto volumes (book size 29.7x24.3cm), pp. [2] ix [1] 160; [2] ix [1] 182 [2].
  Bound in publisher s full cream vegetable parchment, boards decoratively stamped in gilt, lettering to front boards and spines in gilt, silk ties Volume II with recent replacements), top edges gilt, others uncut.   Condition: Fine in near fine bindings, gentle rubbing to panels and spine, slightly heavier to Siegrfried .   Ref: 110939   Price: HK$ 48,000