Malory (Sir Thomas) [Le Morte Darthur] The Birth, Life and Acts of King Arthur, 2 vol. in the original 12 parts, one of 300 deluxe copies on Dutch handmade paper, original wrappers, 1893.

Malory (Sir Thomas) [Le Morte Darthur] The Birth, Life and Acts of King Arthur, 2 vol. in the original 12 parts, number 101 of 300 deluxe copies on Dutch handmade paper, from an edition limited to 1800, printed in red and black, 2 photogravure frontispieces, plates, illustrations and decorations by Aubrey Beardsley, without Directions to Binder leaf and note to Subscribers leaf, plates a little browned with some offsetting, original pictorial blue-grey wrappers, uncut and unopened, a little soiled and frayed at edges but overall a very fine copy, preserved in 4 cloth folders, one with leather book-label of Haven O'More, and blue morocco-backed cloth slip-cases, spines slightly rubbed and faded, small chip to foot of one spine, [Lasner 22], 4to, 1893-94.

⁂ Beardsley's first major commission and an early masterpiece, produced when he was only 20 years old. The young artist met the publisher J.M. Dent who was looking for someone to illustrate an edition of Morte d'Arthur. On seeing Beardsley's trial drawing 'The Achieving of the Sangreal' the publisher was reputedly rendered speechless by its quality. Duly commissioned, Beardsley produced a body of work which took the medievalism of the Pre-Raphaelites and married it to his own bizarre imagination and Japanese-influenced style, making his reputation. They are among the most stunning illustrations he ever produced.