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The Titles
Rackham joined with the publisher William Heinemann to publish his books in two primary formats: a small run of beautifully bound, expensive gift copies, and a larger run of affordable, massmarket editions. Rackham and the publisher George Harrap also collaborated on a number of deluxe and trade editions of publications together. In addition to having English editions of his books published by Heinemann and Harrap, a number of Rackham's books featured American editions as well. In addition, an illustrated edition of Abbie Farwell Brown's The Lonesomest Doll was published solely in America by Houghton Mifflin Co. in 1928.
Rackham's reputation within the Edwardian deluxe gift book market was established with the publication of Rip Van Winkle in 1905. The public took an interest in buying books solely because they were illustrated by Arthur Rackham, and his name began to occupy a prominent position on covers and title pages. Lavish publications began to appear annually, including Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens (1906); Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (1907); A Midsummer Night's Dream (1908); The Rhinegold and the Valkyrie (1910); Siegfried and the Twilight of the Gods (1911); Aesop's Fables (1912); and Mother Goose (1913). His books were often published in cloth or vellum and featured his name, along with the book's title, author, and minimal pictorial decoration, on the cover in gold. Rackham oversaw the production of his covers and title pages very carefully, often writing instructions in the margins, such as his notes on the cover design for Siegfried & the Twilight of the Gods (1911): "Let the sword run into the boundary line…In all cases be careful not to cut away too much, as gold can be removed after first proof, but not added."
Although Hansel & Grethel (1920), Andersen's Fairy Tales (1932), and Siegfried & the Twilight of the Gods adhere to the standard gilt cover design format, Rackham adds intriguing elements, such as the repetition of the curly tails of the Andersen's Fairy Tales creatures in the handwritten title text. Other cover designs delight and surprise with their unexpected designs -- the cover of Mother Goose (1913) takes on the appearance of needlepoint, while the English edition of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow (1928) features a dramatic watercolor drawing of the Headless Horseman. |