Grimms’ Fairy Tales

Illustrated by Fritz Kredel
Grosset & Dunlap Edition, 1945

The Piece

A 1945 Grosset & Dunlap edition of Grimms’ Fairy Tales, illustrated by Fritz Kredel.

Bound in red cloth boards with a mounted color illustration panel to the front cover and gilt spine titling, this edition carries the classic proportions and presence of mid-20th-century children’s publishing.

The cover illustration sets the tone immediately—storybook figures rendered with clarity and charm, framed within a simple border that allows the red cloth to carry visual weight.

Inside, Kredel’s illustrations move between full color plates and finely executed line drawings. Knights, beasts, forests, royalty, and folklore unfold in compositions that are structured yet lively. The palette and line quality reflect 1940s illustration sensibility—bold, confident, and narrative-driven.

This is not a contemporary reprint. It is a period piece from American mid-century publishing.

Product Details

Title: Grimms’ Fairy Tales
Author: The Brothers Grimm
Illustrator: Fritz Kredel
Publisher: Grosset & Dunlap
Copyright: 1945
Binding: Red cloth boards with mounted illustration panel
Printing: Printed and bound in the United States
Condition: Vintage condition with visible age-related wear to cloth boards; interior pages clean and structurally sound

Historical Context

Grosset & Dunlap editions from the 1940s represent a significant period in American book production. These volumes were designed to be durable household books—intended for repeated reading, gifting, and display.

Fritz Kredel, a German-born illustrator, brought a European sensibility to American publishing. His interpretation of Grimm’s tales preserves their medieval character without softening their darker undertones.

This edition reflects a time when children’s literature was treated with seriousness—designed with craftsmanship rather than disposability.

How You’ll Use It

This book functions beautifully as:

A display piece in a library or study
A layered element in a child’s room
A decorative accent in a traditional or collected interior
A gift for a lover of classic folklore

Closed, the red cloth anchors a surface with warmth and depth.
Open, it becomes narrative and visual art.

Why It Belongs In Your Home

Because it carries story, weight, and history.

It adds color without trendiness. It adds narrative without clutter. It feels inherited rather than newly purchased.

This is the kind of book that belongs on a shelf for decades.