What year was this illustration first in print?

Do you not have a copy, and/or does it not say who the illustrator is?

Quite sure it is from an edition of Aesop’s Fables illustrated by Arthur Rackham. He was a very famous English illustrator who lived from 1867 – 1939. It is definitely his style. Reprints are available from Amazon. The fables were translated by G.K. Chesterton and it was originally published in 1911.

@Zaku- No, unfortunately.

@janbb -Thank you for your help!
You’ve made my day!! :) :) :)

Mwah!

@janbb -I have looked for this off and on over the years and I just started thinking about it again.
I have seen new editions at Barnes and Noble but it’s not the one as you know.
I thought I might run into one at a book sale but no luck.
Thanks for making it easier.:)

Er, I think it may actually be Charles Robinson. https://www.mutualart.com/Artist/Charles-Robinson/427DEB2AEE3CDC50/Artworks?Params=3130303433332C43757272656E74506167652C322C31

Looking for more confirmation…

Here’s another source that says that: https://www.vialibri.net/years/books/115942902/1912-jerrold-walter-editor-robinson-charles-illustrations-the-big-book-of-fables

And another: https://www.terriwindling.com/blog/2017/08/the-words-that-matter.html

@Zaku -I just looked! Thanks for this info too!

Black and white edition by the illustrator, commissioned to do that version’s art in 1895: http://artyoushouldknow.canalblog.com/archives/2018/12/14/36942052.html

Another source says the color art you reference is more like 1915.

@Zaku- I don’t remember a B&W edition but those are lovely! Now the link in my question is one of Charles Robinson’s?

Both are Charles Robinson. The ~1895 one is black and white. The ~1915 one is color.

Here is what I think is an original, on sale on eBay for about $280. There are also individual art plates people are selling on eBay for about $18 each. (Year printed: 1912)

@Zaku -I see.
I am very happy! Thank you very much!!

The image in your link is Charles Robinson. You can see it in the eBay listing of the 1912 book, if you look at all the sample images of pages (scroll right – it’s not on the first set that appears).

Glad to help!

@Zaku Yeah, you’ve got it. Their style of illustration is very similar and very lovely..

@lucillelucillelucille If you like that style you should look up both of those artists.

@janbb – I like both illustrators very much!

Me too!

@janbb -I’ll end up with one of those books. They’re little treasures! :)

Oh I love his style.