Author: S. Baring-Gould.
Title: The Crock of Gold.
Publisher: Boston: L.C. Page & Company (Incorporated), 1899. First American Edition.
Language: Text in English.
Size: 8" × 5.5".
Pages: 252 pages.
Binding: Attractive and very good elegant original publisher’s red cloth binding elaborately decorated in gilt on the upper cover with two children peering into a pot of gold and a dragon motif wrapping the spine (hinges fine, overall slightly worn and scuffed - as shown) under a protective removable mylar cover. Upper edge gilt.  
Content: Very good content (bright, tight and clean, some foxing and light age toning to margins, one or two leaves with small spots, otherwise clean and tight - as shown). Printed by William Brendon and Son, Plymouth.
Illustrations: Illustrated with eight full-page black-and-white plates (including decorated title-page) by F.O.B. (Frederick O. Briggs), whose graceful Art Nouveau line work complements Baring-Gould’s moral allegories.

Estimate: (Scarce with no or few other copies available for sale worldwide).

The book: A scarce first American edition (1899) of The Crock of Gold, a late-Victorian literary treasure by the prolific scholar and folklorist S. Baring-Gould, published by L.C. Page & Company of Boston. The collection weaves a tapestry of legendary tales, medieval romance, and moral fables, rich in symbolism and imagination.

Among the twelve tales are “The Ash-Maid,” a retelling of the Cinderella motif; “The Water of Light,” an allegory on purity and truth; and “Brains-in-his-Toes,” a comic fable drawn from Indian and European folk traditions. Each story is steeped in the folkloric spirit that made Baring-Gould’s works beloved among both scholars and children of the late 19th century.

The book’s striking Art Nouveau gilt binding captures its spirit — radiant, imaginative, and elegant — featuring twin cherubs and a mythic dragon motif, symbolic of wonder and transformation.

The author: Sabine Baring-Gould (1834–1924) was an English clergyman, antiquarian, folklorist, and novelist, remembered today for his hymn “Onward, Christian Soldiers” and for his vast literary output of over 1,200 works. His fascination with folklore and medieval legend produced enduring collections such as Curious Myths of the Middle Ages (1866) and A Book of Fairy Tales (1895). A collector of stories from Devon and Cornwall, Baring-Gould’s writings combine erudition with deep humanity and a love of moral storytelling.

The illustrator: Frederick O. Briggs (F.O.B.), an artist active in the late 19th century, brought a distinctly Pre-Raphaelite and Art Nouveau sensibility to his book illustrations. His finely detailed pen work, expressive figures, and architectural backdrops complement Baring-Gould’s literary romanticism, enhancing the atmosphere of enchantment throughout the volume.