Author: Laurence Housman. Illustrated by Laurence Housman.
Title: A Farm in Fairyland.
Publisher: New York, Dodd, Mead & Co., 1894. First American Edition.
Language: Text in English.
Size: 7.5" x 5.5".
Pages: 160 pages.
Binding: Attractive and very good original illustrated full-cloth binding designed by Laurence Housman (hinges fine, cloth slightly worn and lightly scuffed, with minor wear to the lower portion of the spine as shown, spine a touch darkened -  as shown) under a protective removable mylar cover. A very charming Art Nouveau binding.
Content: Very good content (bright, tight and clean, rare light foxing, toning and staining - as shown, gift note of a previous 1927 owner on the first endpaper - as shown, light staining to the lower corner of the first endpaper, not affecting any other inner part of the text block - as shown).
Illustrations: Complete with the 13 beautiful full-page Art Nouveau illustrations, together with the decorative pictorial title page and cover design, all by Laurence Housman.

Estimate: (USD 300 – USD 500)

The book: A lovely First American Edition of Laurence Housman’s enchanting collection of fairy tales, presented in an exquisite Art Nouveau format that perfectly complements the dreamlike narratives. The stories evoke a lyrical, pastoral fairyland where princes, maidens, and magical beings inhabit a landscape at once delicate and slightly uncanny. The harmonious unity between text and illustration makes this volume a particularly appealing example of late nineteenth-century gift book design, capturing the era’s fascination with fantasy, symbolism, and decorative book arts.

The author: Laurence Housman (1865–1959) was an English playwright, writer, illustrator, and social activist whose career spanned more than six decades. Trained as an artist in London, he became known for his imaginative fairy tales and plays, as well as for his involvement in progressive political causes. He was the younger brother of the poet A. E. Housman and the brother of writer and illustrator Clemence Housman, forming part of a notably creative literary family.