1924 First Edition - At The Back of The North Wind Illustrated by F. D. Bedford

A beautifully illustrated 1924 First Edition of George MacDonald’s beloved fantasy classic, At the Back of the North Wind, featuring the atmospheric illustrations of Frank C. Bedford and an exceptionally attractive original pictorial blue cloth binding. Author: George MacDonald. Illustrated by Frank C. Bedford (Francis Donkin Bedford). Title: At the Back of the North Wind. Publisher: New York: The Macmillan Company, 1924. Edition: First Edition illustrated by Frank C. Bedford. Language: English. Pages: 376 pages. Size: 7.5 x 6 inches. Binding: Very good original publisher’s blue cloth, with an elaborate black pictorial design depicting the North Wind above a cityscape on the front cover, and a beautifully decorated spine with gilt lettering. The rear board is plain blue cloth. Light rubbing, minor discolouration and expected age-related wear, particularly to the spine and extremities, as shown. An attractive and well-preserved example of this distinctive publisher’s binding. Protected in a removable mylar cover. Content: Very good content, clean and well preserved, with gentle age toning. A previous owner’s name is written on the first illustrated endpaper, as shown. The attractive pictorial endpapers and illustrations remain in very good condition. Illustrations: Illustrated throughout by Frank C. Bedford, including a striking colour frontispiece, 12 full-page black-and-white illustrations and additional decorative artwork. The finely detailed illustrations beautifully capture the story’s imaginative and atmospheric qualities. Estimate: $225–275 USD. The book: At the Back of the North Wind, first published in 1871, is one of the great classics of Victorian fantasy literature. It tells the extraordinary story of Diamond, a gentle young boy whose encounters with the mysterious and beautiful North Wind carry him between the familiar world of everyday life and a realm of wonder beyond human understanding. Blending fairy tale, spiritual allegory and tender reflections on childhood, suffering and mortality, George MacDonald created a work of remarkable imagination and emotional depth. This particularly attractive 1924 Macmillan edition brings MacDonald’s enchanting narrative to life through the illustrations of Frank C. Bedford. His evocative drawings, with their intricate linework, dramatic compositions and expressive characters, capture both the magical grandeur of the North Wind and the intimate humanity of Diamond’s adventures. The striking colour frontispiece, beautifully decorated title page, illustrated endpapers and elaborate publisher’s binding make this edition especially appealing to collectors of illustrated children’s classics and early twentieth-century fantasy literature. The author: George MacDonald (1824–1905) was a Scottish novelist, poet and Christian minister, widely regarded as one of the founding figures of modern fantasy literature. His imaginative works, including Phantastes, The Princess and the Goblin and At the Back of the North Wind, explore the relationship between the visible and invisible worlds, combining fairy-tale wonder with profound moral and spiritual themes. MacDonald’s influence extended far beyond his own generation. His writing profoundly inspired C. S. Lewis, who regarded him as a literary and spiritual mentor, and helped shape the imaginative tradition later associated with writers such as J. R. R. Tolkien. Today, his stories remain admired for their originality, compassion and enduring sense of wonder. The illustrator: Frank C. Bedford (1864–1932), better known as Francis Donkin Bedford, was a distinguished British illustrator celebrated for his imaginative interpretations of children’s literature and classic works of fantasy. His accomplished pen-and-ink drawings are characterized by expressive figures, intricate detail and a remarkable ability to convey movement, atmosphere and emotion. Bedford’s illustrations for At the Back of the North Wind are particularly effective in bringing MacDonald’s dreamlike world to life. From the flowing hair and ethereal presence of the North Wind to the richly observed scenes of Victorian childhood, his artwork offers a compelling visual interpretation of one of the most beloved works of early fantasy literature.