Gesammelte Mährchen, H. C. Andersen — 2nd Edition

Publication: Leipzig, Verlag von Carl B. Lorck, 1848

Formatting: 8vo, pp. [vi], 320+.

Condition Report: Fair. The volume is presented in a contemporary half-calf binding over marbled boards which exhibits significant wear and degradation. The calf spine is heavily rubbed and desiccated, suffering a substantial loss of leather at the headcap that exposes the underlying text-block backing and signatures. Both joints are noticeably cracked and tender, though the boards currently remain securely attached. The marbled paper covering the boards is extensively scuffed and abraded, with the underlying cardboard visible along the margins, while the corners are heavily bumped with significant loss to the original plum-coloured material. Internally, the text block displays characteristic moderate foxing and age-toning throughout, typical for German paper stock of the mid-nineteenth century, alongside occasional scattered spotting. Despite the considerable exterior wear, the leaves remain structurally sound and entirely legible, preserving the volume as a complete, if physically fragile, reading copy.

Catalogue Note: This publication represents a highly significant early German printing of Hans Christian Andersen’s collected fairy tales.

The title page formally designates this as the Vollständige vom Verfasser besorgte Ausgabe, a complete edition directly overseen and authorised by the author himself. Lorck’s early authorised German translations were profoundly instrumental in catapulting Andersen's literary reputation beyond Scandinavia and across Europe during the 1840s, making these Leipzig printings vital artifacts of European literary dissemination.

Presented in a deeply patinated, unillustrated contemporary Continental half-binding, the text relies entirely on the strength of Andersen's groundbreaking storytelling. The volume gathers a comprehensive array of his most culturally enduring tales, including Die Schneekönigin (The Snow Queen), Das häßliche, junge Entlein (The Ugly Duckling), Die kleine Seejungfrau (The Little Mermaid), and Die Prinzessin auf der Erbse (The Princess and the Pea).

Early authorised printings from Lorck’s press are now notably scarce on the open market. While this particular copy has suffered physically over its extensive lifespan, it remains a genuine, unsophisticated survivor from a pivotal era in the global popularisation of Andersen’s folklore.

Experience the magic and melancholy of Hans Christian Andersen’s timeless storytelling with this early 1848 German edition of his collected fairy tales. Produced in Leipzig under the direct supervision of the author himself, this volume gathers some of the most enduring stories ever penned, including The Snow Queen, The Ugly Duckling, The Little Mermaid, and The Princess and the Pea. A foundational text of European children's literature, this early printing offers a tangible connection to the original 19th-century reception of Andersen’s legendary folklore—a compelling acquisition for devoted collectors of classic fairy tales and historical literature.