Folio Archives 347: The Icelandic Sagas edited by Magnus Magnusson 1999 & 2002
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1wcarter
The Icelandic Sagas edited by Magnus Magnusson 1999 & 2002
The long cold Winter nights in Iceland when clans gathered together in the long hall were ideal conditions to develop and relate the tales of love, rivalry, war, revenge, exile and death that are reproduced in these beautiful volumes.
Covering the entire history of Iceland from their settlement by the Vikings from Scandinavia, these sagas relate the harsh rule they fled from in Norway, the difficulties of the North Atlantic crossing to Iceland, exploration and life in Iceland, and involve both romance and family conflicts. They blend fact and fiction together that makes the tales almost magical. They also extend to the settlement of Greenland and the expedition of Lief Eriksson to Newfoundland.
The sagas balance between unrelenting violence and judicious control of rivalries by wise sages, ribald encounters and ferocious battles of revenge amongst a relatively small population a thousand years ago.
The sagas are introduced and edited by Magnus Magnusson and are spread over two similarly designed volumes that were issued three years apart in 1999 and 2002. Both volumes have 16 bound-in colour plates by Simon Noyes (volume one) and Vernon Lord (volume two), and map endpapers (slightly different front and back and in each volume) printed dark grey on light grey. The books are quarter bound in black morocco leather over colour illustrated cloth boards with gilt titles on spine. The page tops are stained dark grey and there is a dark grey slipcase (26x18.3cm.) for each volume.
Volume One 1999 xxii + 809 pages
Volume Two 2002 xvi + 759 pages
An index of the other illustrated reviews in the "Folio Archives" series can be viewed here.
The long cold Winter nights in Iceland when clans gathered together in the long hall were ideal conditions to develop and relate the tales of love, rivalry, war, revenge, exile and death that are reproduced in these beautiful volumes.
Covering the entire history of Iceland from their settlement by the Vikings from Scandinavia, these sagas relate the harsh rule they fled from in Norway, the difficulties of the North Atlantic crossing to Iceland, exploration and life in Iceland, and involve both romance and family conflicts. They blend fact and fiction together that makes the tales almost magical. They also extend to the settlement of Greenland and the expedition of Lief Eriksson to Newfoundland.
The sagas balance between unrelenting violence and judicious control of rivalries by wise sages, ribald encounters and ferocious battles of revenge amongst a relatively small population a thousand years ago.
The sagas are introduced and edited by Magnus Magnusson and are spread over two similarly designed volumes that were issued three years apart in 1999 and 2002. Both volumes have 16 bound-in colour plates by Simon Noyes (volume one) and Vernon Lord (volume two), and map endpapers (slightly different front and back and in each volume) printed dark grey on light grey. The books are quarter bound in black morocco leather over colour illustrated cloth boards with gilt titles on spine. The page tops are stained dark grey and there is a dark grey slipcase (26x18.3cm.) for each volume.
Volume One 1999 xxii + 809 pages
Volume Two 2002 xvi + 759 pages
An index of the other illustrated reviews in the "Folio Archives" series can be viewed here.
2astropi
Absolutely gorgeous works! It's kinda amazing... or surprising... or sad... or maybe all three, but what was once a "normal" FS book would basically now be released as a LE for hundreds of dollars.
3LesMiserables
Very enabling!
4gmacaree
I'm quite annoyed that when they re-released this (in buckram) they never bothered with the second volume. Bizarre.
5DMulvee
>1 wcarter: Have you any idea why the second volume cover is imperfect? Mine is in a little worse state than yours. It lives in the slipcase (when not read). I don’t have other Folios that seem to degrade (and the first volume is fine), but most copies I have seen all have a problem to some extent
6wcarter
>5 DMulvee:
The markings on the upper part of the covers were there when I purchased the copy. The vendor mentioned the damage, which is really minimal and seems to show more in the photos than real life, and discounted the price because of it.
The markings on the upper part of the covers were there when I purchased the copy. The vendor mentioned the damage, which is really minimal and seems to show more in the photos than real life, and discounted the price because of it.
7cronshaw
Many thanks for the comprehensive presentation, Warwick! I could never part with this Folio edition. The design and materials truly represent Folio's Golden Age, and the sagas are a great read to boot. The only thing that could have improved it for me would be for Vernon Lord to have illustrated both volumes. His art is exquisite and perfect for the subject.
8DMulvee
I am a big fan of this series (and the artwork is spectacular). I did find it a slightly slower read due to the writing style. Whilst I would recommend the FS version, they only contain about half the sagas, you can purchase the full sagas in English (https://www.sagas.is/vara.php) if one preferred that.
9affle
>1 wcarter:
Thanks as ever for this fine review in such a fine series of reviews.
>7 cronshaw:
Agreed about Vernon Lord (Warwick - your text doesn't credit him, btw) - he's as good here as in the superb James Joyce pair later.
>5 DMulvee:
My second volume has not shown any sign of wear.
There is discussion elsewhere (The Moonstone LE) about these bold spine designs. The problem often arises with the indiscriminate inclusion of the brand-era FS logo - these earlier books, without the logo, work fine.
Thanks as ever for this fine review in such a fine series of reviews.
>7 cronshaw:
Agreed about Vernon Lord (Warwick - your text doesn't credit him, btw) - he's as good here as in the superb James Joyce pair later.
>5 DMulvee:
My second volume has not shown any sign of wear.
There is discussion elsewhere (The Moonstone LE) about these bold spine designs. The problem often arises with the indiscriminate inclusion of the brand-era FS logo - these earlier books, without the logo, work fine.
11elenchus
Love these as well, purchased each separately on the secondary market. The second volume took awhile to find, I'm glad I did though I'm only partway through reading the first volume so far.
The page tops are stained dark grey and there is a dark grey slipcase (26x18.3cm.) for each volume
I'd characterise my own slipcases as blue, and the page top staining also blue; the images here match what I see on my own copies. But the internet has instructed me that colour perception is more varied than I'd have guessed.
These are prized volumes on my shelves. I will say my reading is slowed somewhat by not wanting to read these hefty volumes in bed or anywhere but my wingback.
The page tops are stained dark grey and there is a dark grey slipcase (26x18.3cm.) for each volume
I'd characterise my own slipcases as blue, and the page top staining also blue; the images here match what I see on my own copies. But the internet has instructed me that colour perception is more varied than I'd have guessed.
These are prized volumes on my shelves. I will say my reading is slowed somewhat by not wanting to read these hefty volumes in bed or anywhere but my wingback.
12Willoyd
One of my favourite sets in my collection. That's a brilliant set of images, worthy of the books. Thank you.
13Jayked
Folio 60 says this style of cover with large lettering was introduced in 1992 with the Histories of Herodotus, first of a uniform series of Classical and Mythological texts which included the Sagas. According to Nash the Herodotus used artificial leather, with the rest presumably following suit. At one time FS would artfully describe artificial as art leather; these days "leather" without a qualifier likely means artificial. Other publishers such as Heritage beat them to it. On the plus side the plastic hybrid will almost certainly outlive the animal skin, perhaps to the end of time.
14boldface
>1 wcarter:
There's a curious story attached to the first Sagas volume. I notice you have the second printing, Warwick. I subscribed to Sagas volume 1 back in 1999 when it came out. That first printing was done by St Edmundsbury Press, Bury St Edmunds, on Ibis Wove paper, which is a little more cream-coloured than the subsequent Grosvenor Book Wove. The illustrations (and the binding) were done by Jarrold Book Printing, Thetford. I duly received the book in September 1999 and was very pleased with it. Imagine my surprise when, having called in at the Members' Room a few weeks later and mentioned my recent acquisitions in passing, I was told that there had been "some problems" with the book and it was being entirely reprinted. Everyone who had received a first printing would automatically be sent a second printing replacement as soon as it was ready. There was no need to return the first one. I think I was told it was something to do with the illustrations but they were reticent to go into details. My replacement second printing duly arrived on 10 February 2000. To this day I still don't know what all the fuss was about. I've looked again today, after reading your great review, at the first printing and the illustrations look fine to me. And yet, the problem must have been generally catastrophic to cause them to, in effect, pulp the first printing entirely. There is no mention of any of this in Folio 60, by the way.
Can anyone else enlighten me as to the secret of the Icelandic Sagas . . . ?
There's a curious story attached to the first Sagas volume. I notice you have the second printing, Warwick. I subscribed to Sagas volume 1 back in 1999 when it came out. That first printing was done by St Edmundsbury Press, Bury St Edmunds, on Ibis Wove paper, which is a little more cream-coloured than the subsequent Grosvenor Book Wove. The illustrations (and the binding) were done by Jarrold Book Printing, Thetford. I duly received the book in September 1999 and was very pleased with it. Imagine my surprise when, having called in at the Members' Room a few weeks later and mentioned my recent acquisitions in passing, I was told that there had been "some problems" with the book and it was being entirely reprinted. Everyone who had received a first printing would automatically be sent a second printing replacement as soon as it was ready. There was no need to return the first one. I think I was told it was something to do with the illustrations but they were reticent to go into details. My replacement second printing duly arrived on 10 February 2000. To this day I still don't know what all the fuss was about. I've looked again today, after reading your great review, at the first printing and the illustrations look fine to me. And yet, the problem must have been generally catastrophic to cause them to, in effect, pulp the first printing entirely. There is no mention of any of this in Folio 60, by the way.
Can anyone else enlighten me as to the secret of the Icelandic Sagas . . . ?
15LesMiserables
>14 boldface: Fascinating! What an unexpected boon.
16affle
>14 boldface: I dashed to look at my copy after reading your interesting post, Jonathan. It's a first printing, bought secondhand over a dozen years ago. I can see nothing amiss with the illustrations, apart from not being as good as the John Vernon Lord in vol 2. The colouring of the top edge of the text block has bled on to a few pages, never more than 2 or 3 mm, and I don't recall noticing that when I read the book. If I received a new book like that now, I would sniff a bit and think no more about it, certainly nothing to junk a whole print run over. It's very odd, but the double printing may be the reason for vol 1 having mostly been a good deal cheaper than vol 2 on the secondhand market over the years.
17jroger1
>14 boldface: >16 affle:
I purchased the first printing on the secondary market many years ago in new and unread condition. After reading your posts I examined my copy carefully and can find no imperfections whatsoever. The illustrations look fine and there is no bleeding from the edge coloring.
I purchased the first printing on the secondary market many years ago in new and unread condition. After reading your posts I examined my copy carefully and can find no imperfections whatsoever. The illustrations look fine and there is no bleeding from the edge coloring.
18boldface
>16 affle:
>17 jroger1:
I'm glad your copies appear to be within tolerances, which makes it stranger still that there was a complete reprint.
>17 jroger1:
I'm glad your copies appear to be within tolerances, which makes it stranger still that there was a complete reprint.
19affle
>18 boldface:
I did a little more digging. The printer, Saint Edmundsbury Press, continued to get business from the Folio Society for some years after this 1999 incident, whatever it might have been, but Jarrold disappears from the scene both as as a printer and a binder from this date forward. Wondering if Jarrold had been held responsible for whatever the problem was, I looked again at the binding of my copy, and found nothing amiss. Jarrold was a firm in several lines of business, and as far as I can tell still has a department store in Norwich; its website gives no clue as to when it gave up book making. So no wiser, but I shall try to be alert for clues.
I did a little more digging. The printer, Saint Edmundsbury Press, continued to get business from the Folio Society for some years after this 1999 incident, whatever it might have been, but Jarrold disappears from the scene both as as a printer and a binder from this date forward. Wondering if Jarrold had been held responsible for whatever the problem was, I looked again at the binding of my copy, and found nothing amiss. Jarrold was a firm in several lines of business, and as far as I can tell still has a department store in Norwich; its website gives no clue as to when it gave up book making. So no wiser, but I shall try to be alert for clues.
20Jayked
>19 affle:
Apparently Jarrold sold up the printing business in 2004, though it does maintain a large museum of traditional printing techniques. FS did use it as a binder for Winnie the Pooh collector's edition (1999), Arabian Nights (1999), Tales....by Poe, (1999), and two George Eliots in that year, as part of a history of 40-odd binding productions for them, so instant dismissal would seem a harsh punishment for one mistake that ought to have been covered by insurance. They were likely part of the takeover feeding frenzy by multinational holding companies.
Apparently Jarrold sold up the printing business in 2004, though it does maintain a large museum of traditional printing techniques. FS did use it as a binder for Winnie the Pooh collector's edition (1999), Arabian Nights (1999), Tales....by Poe, (1999), and two George Eliots in that year, as part of a history of 40-odd binding productions for them, so instant dismissal would seem a harsh punishment for one mistake that ought to have been covered by insurance. They were likely part of the takeover feeding frenzy by multinational holding companies.
