Here's a beautiful new book I acquired recently. A friend, J, found it for me. This is a beautiful book. It's Arthur Rackham's illustrated version of Wagner's opera Siegfried And The Twilight Of The Gods. It's a first edition from 1911. It's cloth bound with gold embossed writing and art on the front and tipped in plates. Every plate is intact and the book is in amazing condition which is really surprising considering it's been in regular circulation in the public libraries for years. I guess people weren't interested in a book lyrics to an opera. I'm stunned and honored this book was given to me, I've long thought it was one of Rackham's best books. It's more for adults and is pretty dark. In the modern Dover edition there is a quote from C.S. Lewis about this book, about how much he loved it. Rackham is one of my very favorite artists and this is one of his very best books.
