Author: James Baldwin. (illustrated by Howard Pyle).
Title: The Story of Siegfried.
Publisher: New York, Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1882. First Edition.
Language: Text in English.
Size: 7.5" × 5.5".
Pages: xvi + 306 pages + publisher's catalogue.
Binding: Attractive and very good original mustard-yellow cloth binding richly decorated in black and gilt with a dramatic full-cover illustration by Howard Pyle. Spine with gilt pictorial sword panel and title (hinges fine, overall slightly worn and scuffed - as shown) under a protective removable mylar cover. An unusually well-preserved example of this visually striking first edition.
Content: Very good content (bright, tight and clean, rare light foxing  - as shown, early gift inscription dated December 25, 1882 on front flyleaf, old now removed paper clip offsetting on pages 282–283, visible as a light shadow - as shown).
Illustrations: Complete with six superb full-page illustrations by Howard Pyle, engraved by Frank French, J. P. Davis, E. Clement, and John Karst. These dramatic engravings (The Forging of Balmung, The Death of Fafnir, The Death of Siegfried, etc.) remain some of Pyle’s earliest and most atmospheric works.

Estimate: (USD 225–250).

The book: A beautiful first edition of The Story of Siegfried, James Baldwin’s celebrated retelling of the legends of the Nibelungen, presented in a rich Victorian decorative binding. This edition is prized by collectors for its early Howard Pyle illustrations and by aficionados of Germanic and Norse mythology for its accessible yet heroic narrative. Scribner’s 1882 production is one of the finest illustrated mythic retellings of the 19th century.

The author: James Baldwin (1841–1925) was an influential American author and editor known for his retellings of myths, legends, and historical narratives for young readers. His works helped introduce classical and Northern European mythology to generations of children.

The illustrator: Howard Pyle (1853–1911), often called the “Father of American Illustration,” was a pivotal figure in the Golden Age of Illustration. His engravings for The Story of Siegfried mark an important early milestone in his career, showcasing the dramatic composition and expressive line work that would define his legendary Arthurian and Robin Hood illustrations.