Folio Archives 357: Chronicles of King Arthur by Sir Thomas Malory - 1982 - SE and LE
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1wcarter
Chronicles of King Arthur by Sir Thomas Malory - 1982 - Three volumes - standard and limited editions
These three volumes contain between them 40 short stories that revolve around King Arthur, Merlin, Gawaine, Tristram, Lancelot and the other knights of the famous round table. The tales are quite entertaining reading, although sometimes repetitive and dated in style. The tales are best read independently rather than in series as a break between other books. The text of this edition is based on the Winchester manuscript edited by Vinaver in 1954. Sir Thomas Malory died about 1475 aged about 50.
The three volumes are:-
* - The Tale of King Arthur, 292 pages
* - Sir Tristram de Lyonesse, 352 pages
* - The Morte d'Arthur, 265 pages
These volumes were published by the Folio Society in two quite different bindings. The contents of both editions are identical, only the bindings and slipcases change.
* - Standard edition. Bound in blue cloth with a cover design in red and gold by Bawden, different for each volume. Pink endleaves. Red and dark blue three-volume slipcase with designs in blue on sides and spine by Bawden. Page tops stained red.
* - Leather bound limited edition. Produced in a small number and bound to order in red morocco and signed by the illustrator. Dark red slipcase printed on sides and spine in light red with a design and title. Marbled endpapers. Gilded page tops. Other than the illustrator’s signature on the title page, there is nothing in the colophon or elsewhere in the book to indicate that this is a limited or special edition.
The tales have been revised and introduced by Sue Bradbury, and there is a foreword by Kevin Crossley-Holland. 65 linocuts by Edward Bawden are integrated in the text across all volumes. The titling on the spines runs from bottom to top and the slipcases both measure 23.6x15.4x7.8cm.
I own copies of both sets, and they will be reviewed below.
1982 STANDARD EDITION
Endpapers
1982 LIMITED EDITION
Endpapers
Illustrator’s signature
CONTENTS
The contents of both editions are identical.
Volume One
Volume Two
Volume Three
A review of Richard barber's "Legends of King Arthur" can be seen here.
An index of the other illustrated reviews in the "Folio Archives" series can be viewed here.
These three volumes contain between them 40 short stories that revolve around King Arthur, Merlin, Gawaine, Tristram, Lancelot and the other knights of the famous round table. The tales are quite entertaining reading, although sometimes repetitive and dated in style. The tales are best read independently rather than in series as a break between other books. The text of this edition is based on the Winchester manuscript edited by Vinaver in 1954. Sir Thomas Malory died about 1475 aged about 50.
The three volumes are:-
* - The Tale of King Arthur, 292 pages
* - Sir Tristram de Lyonesse, 352 pages
* - The Morte d'Arthur, 265 pages
These volumes were published by the Folio Society in two quite different bindings. The contents of both editions are identical, only the bindings and slipcases change.
* - Standard edition. Bound in blue cloth with a cover design in red and gold by Bawden, different for each volume. Pink endleaves. Red and dark blue three-volume slipcase with designs in blue on sides and spine by Bawden. Page tops stained red.
* - Leather bound limited edition. Produced in a small number and bound to order in red morocco and signed by the illustrator. Dark red slipcase printed on sides and spine in light red with a design and title. Marbled endpapers. Gilded page tops. Other than the illustrator’s signature on the title page, there is nothing in the colophon or elsewhere in the book to indicate that this is a limited or special edition.
The tales have been revised and introduced by Sue Bradbury, and there is a foreword by Kevin Crossley-Holland. 65 linocuts by Edward Bawden are integrated in the text across all volumes. The titling on the spines runs from bottom to top and the slipcases both measure 23.6x15.4x7.8cm.
I own copies of both sets, and they will be reviewed below.
1982 STANDARD EDITION
Endpapers
1982 LIMITED EDITION
Endpapers
Illustrator’s signature
CONTENTS
The contents of both editions are identical.
Volume One
Volume Two
Volume Three
A review of Richard barber's "Legends of King Arthur" can be seen here.
An index of the other illustrated reviews in the "Folio Archives" series can be viewed here.
2PartTimeBookAddict
>1 wcarter: Is the 2001 edition not the contents from the single volume Myths and Legends series? Edited by Richard Barber with the Pisarev illustrations?
Great review and a reminder to get to my Mallory set soon.
Great review and a reminder to get to my Mallory set soon.
3wcarter
>2 PartTimeBookAddict:
You are, of course totally correct. I conflated Legends of King Arthur and Chronicles of King Arthur.
Original post altered to correct this error.
You are, of course totally correct. I conflated Legends of King Arthur and Chronicles of King Arthur.
Original post altered to correct this error.
4assemblyman
This is a lovely set. The Edward Bawden illustrations are particularly attractive. The leather set I have has the most pungent smell of leather of any leather bound book that I own.
5Betelgeuse
>1 wcarter: "Malory first published the stories in 1954." Malory, of course, lived in the 15th Century. Do you mean Folio Society first published the stories in 1954?
6HonorWulf
>3 wcarter: Perhaps you were thinking of the 2003 Limited Edition?
7HonorWulf
>5 Betelgeuse: Yes, Folio published an abridged version of Le Morte Darthur in 1953.
8Betelgeuse
>7 HonorWulf: I wonder if he meant what it says in the copyright page, that the text was based on the Winchester manuscript edited by Vinaver in 1954.
10affle
>4 assemblyman:
Exactly so - even stronger than the Moby-Dick LE. Remarkable that it is so persistent after forty-odd years.
Exactly so - even stronger than the Moby-Dick LE. Remarkable that it is so persistent after forty-odd years.
11HonorWulf
This is a great set, though. Have had my eye on it for awhile (and even browsed a couple of used ones earlier this week, so good timing!). Been holding out for a new edition, but imagine will cave at some point since I'm not getting any younger...
12Betelgeuse
>9 wcarter: Thank you for doing these postings. More than once you have convinced me to make a purchase on the secondary market!
