Marley-s ghost, Bob Cratchit-s slide down icy Cornhill, Mr and Mrs Fezziwig-s dance, and of course Ebenezer Scrooge himself, are all exquisitely illustrated in this luxury collector-s edition of Charles Dickens-s perennial seasonal favourite. Arthur Rackham-s colour wash drawings and silhouettes, first published during the First World War, bring a threatening and haunting atmosphere to Scrooge-s story, which contrasts wonderfully with the gifts and games of Belle-s household. Rackham was a leading illustrator in the golden age of book illustration, when groundbreaking techniques for colour printing were developing fast. He illustrated over sixty books and specialized in children-s classics and fairy tales.This landmark edition helped to consolidate the idea of the Dickensian Christmas and the tradition of the Christmas gift book. It is a beautiful version of a classic story, which never ceases to be relevant to our times.