George Macy, with the issuance of Two Medaieval Tales, is at the mid-point of the first series

Some have asked me if I am going to issue a new topic for every LEC. The answer is, "No. I am not." Only for the First Series. It seems that younger members of this group do not own, or intend to own, these first LECs. This is an attempt to get them interested in collecting these. Like Macy, who was disapointed in the respondents to his early LECs, I am somewhat disappointed that members have shown little interest in these. Of course, collectors such as Django, have a knowledge of the early LECs, and I welocome his posts, although I sometimes feel he places too much reverance for the design of these early books.

This book of two of RLS tales is illustrated in color by C. B. Falls. Macy's comment is that this illustrator delivered the rquired art timely. He goes on to say that members of the printing profession often disappointed him, but that illustrators were most often timely in their appointed tasks.

Having worked in my career with printers who could print the most luxuriant of full-color advertising materials and artists who could render difficult-to-photograph products, I can say that both groups could be disappointing. Later on, when most printing was accomplished digitally by ripping film from a computer disk, the artists had a more difficult job than the printers so they were more likely to be late.

Like Macy, I worked with a small office staff of three people: myself and two female workers. We managed to produce a multitude of quality advertising materials, all mostly printed materials since I didn't do any tv ads. Often our small group, with our designers, artists, and printers, surpassed the quality and quantity of larger agencies.

But back to the Stevenson tales. I have obtained a near Fine copy of this book so I'm not rebinding it. the cover is in full natural cowhide, blind stamped in an exotic design, perhaps too exotic. The illustrations in color remind me of an old Prince Valiant comic strip. My copy with its Fine insides has as its only fault rubbed spine ends, not badly rubbed but nevertheless rubbed. I think this rubbing is caused by owners pulling the book from its slipcase by the head or tail of the spine. A slipcase should be made so it can be held by the rear and the book released so that it falls into your other hand. Too many owners want to pull out on the book by the spine, leaving the slipcase on its shelf.

In the case of this book, I had a new slipcase made which is bright geen in color, replacing the old one devoid of any color. This is also where I learned that these thin books should be housed in a clam shell box for the ultimate peservation of the book. Not only is the book totally enclosed in the box, but the spine is not damaged since it is never pulled upon. Macy did not use many clam shell boxes, probably because of expense. I can also state here that I am unalterably opposed to chemises, the wrap around casing that was used on LECs. Their purpose seems to have been to cover, thus protecting the book, but also widen the book so that a thin book would better fit in its slipcase.

Thank you for these topics! They are interesting and informative. I am sure young collectors are just as interested in acquiring these early editions as they are in having the later ones. The high premium and their relative scarcity causes a little bit of a struggle. At least for me.

" collectors such as Django, have a knowledge of the early LECs, and I welcome his posts, although I sometimes feel he places too much reverance for the design of these early books."

Don, not to be disagreeable, I'm going to prove you mistaken in regards to this particular book (though I should point out I'm also indifferent to the first Leaves of Grass and even more so to The Fables of de la Fontaine).

Macy said in his survey of the first 10 years of the Club's output that he considered it a "rank failure," and I have to agree with him. I find the book a strange amalgam of the Roycrofter's Art & Crafts style with, as you point out, illustrations which owe more to Harold Foster than to Burne-Jones (incidentally, I am a big fan of Hal Foster and have a 2 volume edition of his "Prince Valiant" strips--the Stevenson illustrations aren't quite as good). I do like the illustrations, and as another Devotee here pointed out, it was great to see Macy trying something different than the "A-list" European illustrators, but they aren't congenial to the rest of the book. Frankly, nothing bothers me as much as the typographic design, which I find to be literally an eyesore.

Don, you are lucky to have found one in Fine condition, as most copies I've seen are very shabby. My own copy looked promising when I unwrapped it, but when I opened it to read, the front cover split off completely from the book, and since then the rear cover has joined it. I consider myself to be very gentle handling any book, even paperbacks, so I have to wonder at the quality of the materials used.

Ordinarliy, I would attempted to have the book restored, or since that would have been difficult in this case due to the style of the binding, rebound. But after reading it, I was so indifferent that I put it in an envelope and slid that on top of my other Stevenson books.

The cover is natural cowhide so I wouldn't think it would have deteriorated so rapidly, But if you say so, I believe you. These two tales were later repeated in the LEC Stevenson The New Arabian Nights, bound in a substantial bright yellow buckram. As a lover of Stevenson, you probably have this one.

I too love to read Stevenson. You once posted that the Black Arrow was the worst of Stevenson's novels. But I have to disagree with you, loving that book as I do. He borrowed a bit from Shakespeare having the heroine dress as a young man, ala Twelfth Night. This was the second Stevenson I read, naturally the first being Treasure Island.

The worst Stevenson fiction was the sequal to Kidnapped. I will have to look up the title, but virtually the whole book was written in Scottish dialect, and I had a problem with it.

Scott, also one of my favorite authors, did the same thing with Rob Roy. I thought the movie with Liam Neeson was very good, even though it did not follow the book. But I had a hard time with the book dialect, even though there was a glossary of sorts in my Folio Society copy. On the other hand, I couldn't put down The Talisman, and finished it in short order.

I do have The New Arabian Nights, and this is another reason I never thought about putting more money into Two Medieval Tales.

As for RLS's worst, you are probably thinking about Catriona, about which we are in agreement, especially about the dialect (interesting that you mentioned Rob Roy, as the eponymous heroine, Catriona, is Rob Roy's granddaughter). Dialect is tough, and I think most writers would be wise to avoid it.

If I said I considered the Black Arrow as Stevenson's worst, I must have been under the influence, as I think it a ripping yarn. RLS said he disliked it, calling it "tushery" and generally disdained the work to others, not even writing an introduction to the Edinburgh edition, but I found it totally absorbing when I read it as a teenager, and after I bought the Folio Society tome The Pastons about 20 years ago, I went out and bought the limited Scribner's edition with N.C. Wyeth's iconic illustrations and liked it even better on the second read. It was also the basis for a splendid (albeit somewhat loose) Hollywood film starring Louis Hayward at his swashbuckling best (though a mite long in the tooth for Dick Shelton), George Macready perfect as Sir Daniel, Edgar Buchanan professional, though totally miscast, as Lawless, and Janet Blair as Joanna--also miscast, but who cares!

And yes, I agree with you about The Talisman--those who dismiss Scott out of hand ought to read this novel!

I have a passion for Scott as long as he doesn't write in dialect. I loved the LEC Kenilworth. Have read it twice. Historical murders are always interesting. From looking on the web, I understand Kenilworth as a castle is non-existant, but the grounds are a British historical site.

What was the name of the movie? The Black Arrow. Would love to see it. I had the Easton Press adventure series illustrated by N C Wyeth with the Black Arrow in it. Had to sell them, but I would like another copy. Maybe I can get one from the library.

The other RLS LEC which I like is the Master of Ballantrae? Errol Flynn made the movie which wasn't very good. When I read the book, I looked on a bottle of Drambuie which had the "link with the '45" inscribed on it then. I looked recently at it, and its now gone.

Bonnie Prince Charlie probably needed a bottle of his favorite liquer as he travelled through Britain dressed as a most unbecoming woman.

>7 leccol:

Don, here's a link to the film which seems to be only available from Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B004CZZZFE/ref=dp_olp_new?ie=UTF8&con...

I have never seen Flynn's film--it was the last he did for Warner Brothers.