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The Poetic Edda LIMITED EDITION - 2016
Written in Old Norse, this classic ode of Scandinavia was written centuries ago, but exactly when and by whom is unknown. They talk of gods, heroes, dragons, monsters of the deep, love, war, deceit and betrayal, and these stories were the basics from which Tolkien evolved the characters in Lord of the Rings.
The only ancient source of the Edda is from a single manuscript known as the Codex Regius that was copied by an Icelandic scribe in about 1270. It made its way to the Danish court where four centuries later it was discovered and translated into Latin and other European languages.
The multiple poems are primal in nature and mythic in context. They vary from the prophetic to religious, classics of lore-giving and stories of the gods.
A decade ago, more than 900 years after they were first written, The Folio Society created this, the ultimate reading copy of the Edda, with the original Norse and the modern English translation by the Oxford scholar Carolyne Larrington side-by-side.
The original manuscript was unillustrated but Simon Noyes created twenty runic style illustrations which are tipped in along their inner edges opposite the text to which they refer. The images reflect the mystic style of the poetry.
There is a fifteen page introduction and three genealogical tables at the front of the book; and an appendix detailing the Hauksbok text of the Seeress’s Prophecy, an annotated index of names and a bibliography at the back of the book.
The xxiii + 419 page text is printed on Abbey Wove paper and is bound in luxurious maroon leather with five raised bands, and a gilt blocked title on the spine. The page edges are stained light brown on all edges. The endpapers are light brown and the slipcase (32.3x23.2x5.8cm.) is bound in light brown cloth.
The edition was limited to 980 copies and at the time of publication cost £295. The book is now much in demand by scholars and collectors and prices have tripled.
Front page of brochure for Poetic Edda. The full brochure can be viewed HERE.
An index of the other illustrated reviews in the "Folio Archives" series can be viewed here.
Written in Old Norse, this classic ode of Scandinavia was written centuries ago, but exactly when and by whom is unknown. They talk of gods, heroes, dragons, monsters of the deep, love, war, deceit and betrayal, and these stories were the basics from which Tolkien evolved the characters in Lord of the Rings.
The only ancient source of the Edda is from a single manuscript known as the Codex Regius that was copied by an Icelandic scribe in about 1270. It made its way to the Danish court where four centuries later it was discovered and translated into Latin and other European languages.
The multiple poems are primal in nature and mythic in context. They vary from the prophetic to religious, classics of lore-giving and stories of the gods.
A decade ago, more than 900 years after they were first written, The Folio Society created this, the ultimate reading copy of the Edda, with the original Norse and the modern English translation by the Oxford scholar Carolyne Larrington side-by-side.
The original manuscript was unillustrated but Simon Noyes created twenty runic style illustrations which are tipped in along their inner edges opposite the text to which they refer. The images reflect the mystic style of the poetry.
There is a fifteen page introduction and three genealogical tables at the front of the book; and an appendix detailing the Hauksbok text of the Seeress’s Prophecy, an annotated index of names and a bibliography at the back of the book.
The xxiii + 419 page text is printed on Abbey Wove paper and is bound in luxurious maroon leather with five raised bands, and a gilt blocked title on the spine. The page edges are stained light brown on all edges. The endpapers are light brown and the slipcase (32.3x23.2x5.8cm.) is bound in light brown cloth.
The edition was limited to 980 copies and at the time of publication cost £295. The book is now much in demand by scholars and collectors and prices have tripled.
Front page of brochure for Poetic Edda. The full brochure can be viewed HERE.
An index of the other illustrated reviews in the "Folio Archives" series can be viewed here.
