The Lilac Fairy Book was published by Longmans, Green in 1910, completing a project that had spanned twenty-one years and twelve volumes. The final installment drew from Portuguese, Algerian, and various European sources. Its publication also served as a valediction: Lang was sixty-six years old and in declining health (he would die in 1912), and the preface had a retrospective quality, looking back over two decades of fairy-tale collection.
The complete series preserved over four hundred tales from every inhabited continent, making it the most ambitious folklore anthology ever produced in English. Its influence on children’s literature, comparative folklore, and the popular understanding of fairy tales has been continuous and profound.
Collecting the Complete Lang Fairy Book Series
A complete set of all twelve first editions in good to fine condition is among the most desirable items in children’s book collecting. The books were produced in large printings but have survived poorly — the cloth bindings were not durable, and the books were used hard by their intended audience.
Complete set values (12 volumes, first editions):
- Fine or near-fine condition: $15,000–$40,000
- Very good (some wear): $6,000–$15,000
- Good (significant wear, occasional foxing): $2,500–$6,000
Individual later volumes (Olive, Lilac) tend to be scarcer than the earlier ones, as print runs declined with the series’ advancing age.
Collecting The Lilac Fairy Book
First edition (Longmans, Green, London, 1910): Lilac cloth with gilt decorations.
Market values:
- Fine condition: $500–$1,200
- Very good: $200–$500
- Good: $75–$200