Author: Evelyn Paul, Illustrator.
Title: The Romance of Tristram of Lyones and La Beale Isoude. Drawn out of the Celtic-French and illuminated by Evelyn Paul.
Publisher: London, George G. Harrap & Company Limited, no date (circa 1920). First illustrated edition by Evelyn Paul.
Language: Text in English.
Size: 10 × 7.5 inches.
Pages: 157 pages.
Binding: Attractive and very good original publisher’s decorative cloth binding with Celtic interlace design stamped in brown on the upper cover and spine (hinges fine, overall slightly worn and scuffed - as shown) under a protective removable mylar cover. Upper edge gilt. A handsome example of Harrap’s finely produced illustrated gift books of the period.
Content: Very good content (bright, tight and clean, an early presentation inscription appears on the first blank page - as shown).
Illustrations: Richly illustrated throughout with beautiful color plates and numerous decorative illuminated borders and initials by Evelyn Paul, inspired by medieval manuscript illumination and Celtic ornament. Plates bright and complete.

Estimate: (USD 300–350).

The book: The Romance of Tristram of Lyones and La Beale Isoude is a beautifully produced early twentieth-century interpretation of one of the most enduring legends of medieval romance. Drawing on the Celtic and French traditions of the Tristan and Iseult cycle, the story recounts the tragic love between the Cornish knight Tristram and the Irish princess Isoude. Sent to escort Isoude to Cornwall to marry King Mark, Tristram accidentally drinks a love potion with her during the journey. Bound by enchantment and passion, the two lovers are drawn into one of the most famous and poignant romances of medieval literature.

This edition transforms the tale into a visual and literary jewel. Evelyn Paul designed the entire book as if it were a modern medieval manuscript, integrating calligraphic lettering, illuminated borders, Celtic ornament, and richly colored plates throughout the text. The result is a harmonious work in which illustration, typography, and narrative combine to evoke the atmosphere of a legendary Arthurian past.

The illustrator: Evelyn Maude Blanche Paul (1883–1963) was a British artist celebrated for her richly decorative book illustrations. Deeply influenced by medieval manuscript illumination, the Arts and Crafts movement, and the aesthetic ideals of the Pre-Raphaelites, her work combines intricate Celtic ornament, calligraphy, and vibrant color. Paul produced a number of beautifully illustrated books in the early twentieth century, but her interpretation of Tristram and Isoude remains one of her most admired achievements, blending medieval inspiration with the refined design sensibility of the Art Nouveau period.