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Fairy Tale Postcards

Colour plates from three classic illustrated fairy-tale books.

Colour plates from Kay Nielsen’s East of the Sun and West of the Moon (1914), Norwegian tales; Edmund Dulac’s Stories from Hans Andersen (1911); and Arthur Rackham’s Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens (1906). Each card’s title is the caption printed with the plate. “Print postcard” makes real postcards: the picture on one side and a postcard back on the other, with what the picture shows, who made it and where it is kept, and room for a message, an address and a stamp.

“Well, mind and hold tight by my shaggy coat, and then there’s nothing to fear,” said the Bear by Kay Nielsen
“Well, mind and hold tight by my shaggy coat, and then there’s nothing to fear,” said the Bear Kay Nielsen, 1914 Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand A girl rides a great white bear across the snow beneath a vast, pale sky. From “East of the Sun and West of the Moon”, in East of the Sun and West of the Moon: Old Tales from the North. Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

And then she lay on a little green patch in the midst of the gloomy thick wood by Kay Nielsen
And then she lay on a little green patch in the midst of the gloomy thick wood Kay Nielsen, 1914 Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand A girl sits alone on a patch of grass among tall, dark tree trunks. From “East of the Sun and West of the Moon”, in East of the Sun and West of the Moon: Old Tales from the North. Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

The North Wind goes over the sea by Kay Nielsen
The North Wind goes over the sea Kay Nielsen, 1914 Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand The North Wind, a huge figure with streaming hair, sweeps over the white-capped waves. From “East of the Sun and West of the Moon”, in East of the Sun and West of the Moon: Old Tales from the North. Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

And flitted away as far as they could from the Castle that lay East of the Sun and West of the Moon by Kay Nielsen
And flitted away as far as they could from the Castle that lay East of the Sun and West of the Moon Kay Nielsen, 1914 Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand High in a blue sky, a great red-and-gold shape sails away above the treetops. From “East of the Sun and West of the Moon”, in East of the Sun and West of the Moon: Old Tales from the North. Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

She could not help setting the door a little ajar, just to peep in, when – Pop! out flew the Moon by Kay Nielsen
She could not help setting the door a little ajar, just to peep in, when – Pop! out flew the Moon Kay Nielsen, 1914 Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand A girl in white peeps round a door as the Moon flies out into the night sky. From “The Lassie and Her Godmother”, in East of the Sun and West of the Moon: Old Tales from the North. Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

He too saw the image in the water; but he looked up at once, and became aware of the lovely Lassie who sat there up in the tree by Kay Nielsen
He too saw the image in the water; but he looked up at once, and became aware of the lovely Lassie who sat there up in the tree Kay Nielsen, 1914 Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand A girl with long golden hair sits up in a tree above a pool, among slender trunks. From “The Lassie and Her Godmother”, in East of the Sun and West of the Moon: Old Tales from the North. Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Just as they bent down to take the rose a big dense snow-drift came and carried them away by Kay Nielsen
Just as they bent down to take the rose a big dense snow-drift came and carried them away Kay Nielsen, 1914 Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand Three crowned princesses in white are swept off in a swirling snowstorm. From “The Three Princesses in the Blue Mountain”, in East of the Sun and West of the Moon: Old Tales from the North. Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

As soon as they tugged at the rope, the Captain and the Lieutenant pulled up the Princesses, the one after the other by Kay Nielsen
As soon as they tugged at the rope, the Captain and the Lieutenant pulled up the Princesses, the one after the other Kay Nielsen, 1914 Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand Three princesses in white gowns stand beneath dark cliffs, newly brought up from inside the mountain. From “The Three Princesses in the Blue Mountain”, in East of the Sun and West of the Moon: Old Tales from the North. Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

So the man gave him a pair of snow-shoes by Kay Nielsen
So the man gave him a pair of snow-shoes Kay Nielsen, 1914 Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand A traveller in a red cloak leans into the falling snow. From “The Three Princesses of Whiteland”, in East of the Sun and West of the Moon: Old Tales from the North. Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

And this time she whisked off the wig – and there lay the lad, so lovely, and white and red by Kay Nielsen
And this time she whisked off the wig – and there lay the lad, so lovely, and white and red Kay Nielsen, 1914 Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand A princess bends over a sleeping lad in a white, arched room. From “The Widow’s Son”, in East of the Sun and West of the Moon: Old Tales from the North. Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Many a winter’s night she flies through the streets by Edmund Dulac
Many a winter’s night she flies through the streets Edmund Dulac, 1911 The Snow Queen, ghostly and pale, glides past the frosted windows of a snowy town. From “The Snow Queen”, in Stories from Hans Andersen. Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Kissed her on the mouth, while big shining tears trickled down its face by Edmund Dulac
Kissed her on the mouth, while big shining tears trickled down its face Edmund Dulac, 1911 The reindeer says goodbye to Gerda at the edge of a snowy forest of firs. From “The Snow Queen”, in Stories from Hans Andersen. Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

The Snow Queen sat in the very middle of it when she sat at home by Edmund Dulac
The Snow Queen sat in the very middle of it when she sat at home Edmund Dulac, 1911 The Snow Queen sits enthroned in the middle of her frozen hall. From “The Snow Queen”, in Stories from Hans Andersen. Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Even the poor fisherman … lay still to listen to it by Edmund Dulac
Even the poor fisherman … lay still to listen to it Edmund Dulac, 1911 A fisherman rests in his boat at night, listening to the nightingale. From “The Nightingale”, in Stories from Hans Andersen. Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

The Eastwind flew more swiftly still by Edmund Dulac
The Eastwind flew more swiftly still Edmund Dulac, 1911 The winged East Wind flies high above the sea with the prince on his back. From “The Garden of Paradise”, in Stories from Hans Andersen. Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Fairies are all more or less in hiding until dusk by Arthur Rackham
Fairies are all more or less in hiding until dusk Arthur Rackham, 1906 Houghton Library, Harvard University Old trees and their tangled roots in Kensington Gardens. From J. M. Barrie’s Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens. Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Looking very undancey indeed by Arthur Rackham
Looking very undancey indeed Arthur Rackham, 1906 Houghton Library, Harvard University A fairy lady in a long, pale gown stands under a branch of red berries. From J. M. Barrie’s Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens. Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Building the house for Maimie by Arthur Rackham
Building the house for Maimie Arthur Rackham, 1906 Houghton Library, Harvard University Fairies climb ladders to build a little house in the snow. From J. M. Barrie’s Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens. Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Where the pictures come from

All are in the public domain in the United States.