The Pink Fairy Book was published by Longmans, Green in 1897. By the fifth volume the series had established a reliable commercial rhythm and a growing readership that expected each new installment to introduce material from unfamiliar traditions. The Pink delivered with tales from Denmark, Sicily, Japan, and Catalonia, alongside additional material from the Thousand and One Nights.
The Japanese stories were of particular interest to the late-Victorian audience, which was in the grip of Japonisme — the craze for Japanese art, design, and culture. Lang’s inclusion of Japanese folktales was scholarly rather than fashionable, but it benefited from the cultural moment.
Collecting The Pink Fairy Book
First edition (Longmans, Green, London, 1897): Pink cloth with gilt decorations.
Market values:
- Fine condition: $500–$1,200
- Very good: $200–$500
- Good: $75–$200
Projected values (2026–2036): Moderate appreciation.
Asian and Mediterranean
The Pink volume (1897) is notable for its inclusion of Japanese, Sicilian, and Catalan tales alongside the Danish and German material. The Thousand and One Nights contributes several stories, and the overall effect is of a world tour through the fairy-tale tradition. Lang’s prefaces to each volume grew increasingly scholarly, reflecting his dual career as popular editor and serious anthropologist.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who illustrated the Fairy Books? H. J. Ford illustrated all twelve volumes, with additional contributions from G. P. Jacomb Hood (Blue), Lancelot Speed (Red), and others in early volumes. Ford’s black-and-white line illustrations — detailed, atmospheric, and occasionally terrifying — define the series’ visual identity and are among the finest fairy-tale illustrations ever produced.