Welcome to Shelf Candy Saturday!
This is my weekly feature
showcasing beautiful covers!
It also provides information,
if available, on their
very talented creators!
if available, on their
very talented creators!
Barnes & Noble Collectible Editions
July 31, 2015
Classics, Middle-Grade Fiction, Fantasy,
Young Adult Fiction
My Thoughts About This Cover
What do you think of this
week's cover?
Please leave a comment
and let me know!
July 31, 2015
Classics, Middle-Grade Fiction, Fantasy,
Young Adult Fiction
Last night, hubby took me to Barnes & Noble, which I have nicknamed "Paradise" (this refers to the famous Jorge Luis Borges quote; see my sidebar). I walked into the store, brimming with happiness, and started browsing, not sure of what I wanted to buy. Then I came across a table full of B&N's collectible editions, and found the exquisite treasure shown above! That was it -- I was gone. I just HAD to buy this GORGEOUS book!! There were several of them on the table, all wrapped up in plastic, but one had no plastic on it, so that customers could look through the book. I did so, and was simply enchanted by the black & white illustrations. There are also some in color, scattered throughout the book.
The illustration on the cover is absolutely beautiful, of course, but the ornamentation all around it just makes that cover a work of art. This ornamentation has a definite Art Nouveau influence, I think. It gives the book a very European, 19th-century look, which is very appropriate, as the author was from Denmark, and was born in that century. It also gives this cover a definite magical, as well as whimsical, feel. I love the color combinations, too! That lush, red background goes perfectly with the plant-like forms curling around the illustration, with their highlights of silver and gold.
This gorgeous specimen of the bookmaking art is not that expensive, either; it cost $20.00 plus tax. Had this been manufactured by the Folio Society, for instance, it would have been MUCH more expensive!
This edition is leather-bound, and the pages are gilded in gold. This magnificent volume houses another treasure -- the wonderful, classic fairy tales that most children read as they're growing up. I certainly did, and, in fact, still own my childhood copy, which is, to say the least, a little worn.... So I was very happy to find this glorious book! Now I can re-read these stories I loved so much as a child!
The illustration was created by Laurel Long, and the cover design, by Patrice Kaplan. Long is a brilliant illustrator who specializes in book illustration. She has won several awards for her work, and counts well-known publishers such as HarperCollins and Penguin USA among her clients. Kaplan is a graphic designer who works for Barnes & Noble. I could not find much about her, though.
The illustration on the cover is absolutely beautiful, of course, but the ornamentation all around it just makes that cover a work of art. This ornamentation has a definite Art Nouveau influence, I think. It gives the book a very European, 19th-century look, which is very appropriate, as the author was from Denmark, and was born in that century. It also gives this cover a definite magical, as well as whimsical, feel. I love the color combinations, too! That lush, red background goes perfectly with the plant-like forms curling around the illustration, with their highlights of silver and gold.
This is the full cover.
This gorgeous specimen of the bookmaking art is not that expensive, either; it cost $20.00 plus tax. Had this been manufactured by the Folio Society, for instance, it would have been MUCH more expensive!
This edition is leather-bound, and the pages are gilded in gold. This magnificent volume houses another treasure -- the wonderful, classic fairy tales that most children read as they're growing up. I certainly did, and, in fact, still own my childhood copy, which is, to say the least, a little worn.... So I was very happy to find this glorious book! Now I can re-read these stories I loved so much as a child!
The illustration was created by Laurel Long, and the cover design, by Patrice Kaplan. Long is a brilliant illustrator who specializes in book illustration. She has won several awards for her work, and counts well-known publishers such as HarperCollins and Penguin USA among her clients. Kaplan is a graphic designer who works for Barnes & Noble. I could not find much about her, though.
Online Links
Laurel Long Website
Love For Books Blog
(the illustrations here are amazing)
The Twelve Days of Christmas
Laurel Long Website
Love For Books Blog
(the illustrations here are amazing)
The Twelve Days of Christmas
week's cover?
Please leave a comment
and let me know!
It is gorgeous, and intricately detailed. :) I am amazed at how we all love covers. Sometimes, I avoid reading on my Kindly, only to buy the hardcopy of the books for its cover.
ReplyDeleteI am glad to have discovered your blog. Have a great weekend! :)
Hi, Deepika!
DeleteI've just found out your name by visiting your blog, where I will be sure to comment back shortly!
I'm glad you love this cover, too! And we both love all that intricate detail, which is what makes this cover so very GORGEOUS.
Yes, most of us bookworms love covers! Covers are what really sell a book. Many times, I will buy a more expensive edition of a book I like, just because of a beautiful cover! Lol.
I have always preferred printed books, precisely because of the covers! While some Kindle books have gorgeous covers, too, it's not the same. I LOVE to handle physical books!
I'm so happy you like my blog! Hope you have a great weekend, too! Thanks for such a nice comment!! :)
Congratulations on that great acquisition Maria. That looks like the perfect package for this particular work.
ReplyDeleteThe sketches in this book sound like a nice bonus. I tend to like most black an white illustrations that I find in Classic works. I need to start paying more attention to them.
Hey, Brian!
DeleteThanks!! Yes, this GORGEOUS cover is perfect for the literary treasure hidden inside!
Oh, the sketches are beautiful, too!! And the color plates, as well. Overall, this book is really a work of art!
Barnes and Noble, as you most likely know, puts out some absolutely AWESOME collector's editions of classic and even modern works. I own their collector's edition of The Chronicles of Narnia, which I also featured on SCS quite a while back. I also own an omnibus edition of Bradbury's most important works, which is also a B&N collector's edition. And I've seen works by Neil Gaiman, Anne Rice (whose vampires, from what I've heard, I don't think I would like), and even Star Wars!
So I'm VERY, VERY happy with this purchase!! Heck, I feel like a kid on Christmas Day!! Lol.
Thanks for the very nice comment!! :)
What a beautiful cover! I can see why you like it. It has a definite vintage look about it. I never think much about the artist behind the book cover or what goes into it. It really is fascinating though! Thank you for sharing!
ReplyDeleteHi, there!
ReplyDeleteOh, this cover is TRULY exquisite! It drew me in right away! I agree that it has "a definite vintage look about it". It's been made to look like the books that were printed in the 19th century. A lot of these books are worth a LOT of money nowadays, and are eagerly sought after by collectors.
I never used to think much about cover artists, either, until I encountered this meme. It was started by a blogger named Stephanie, at her now deleted blog, FIVE ALARM BOOK REVIEWS. I used to participate in it every Saturday. When she decided to stop blogging, she asked me if I wanted to take over the meme. Long story..... Anyway, that's when I REALLY began to pay attention to cover artists. I had always loved beautiful book covers, but also began to appreciate them more through this meme. It really IS fascinating to analyze such beautiful covers!
You're very welcome for the sharing! Thanks for your great comment!! :)