A Midsummer Night's Dream

London: William Heinemann, 1908 Book. Fine. Hardcover. Signed by Illustrator(s). Deluxe Edition. First deluxe edition. One of 1000 numbered copies signed by Rackham, this being number 340. Quarto. 11¾x9 inches 134pp. 40 full-page mounted color illustrations, each protected with a captioned tissue guard, and 30 black & white drawings. Full gilt-lettered and decorated vellum, top edges gilt, silk ties intact. Minimal foxing throughout, covers are lightly soiled. One of the most sought-after titles illustrated by Rackham, the premier British illustrator of the late 19th - early 20th century. The themes of love, magic, and fairies in the Shakespeare play lend themselves particularly well to Rackham's fanciful, fairytale style. The silk ribbon ties on this volume are still intact, which is quite scarce; most copies are found with the ties missing or hanging by a few threads. [Latimore & Haskell: p.32]. .