Author: Robert Louis Stevenson. Illustrated by Edmund Dulac.
Title: Treasure Island.
Publisher: London, Ernest Benn Limited, 1927. First Edmund Dulac Illustrated Edition.
Language: Text in English.
Size: 9.5 x 7.5 inches.
Pages: xii + 255 pages.
Binding: Near fine beautiful publisher’s original light brown cloth binding with gilt zigzag border design along the front board. Spine with gilt-lettered green title label (hinges fine - as shown) under a protective removable mylar cover. A clean, handsome copy.
Content: Near fine internally — tight and clean throughout with only scarce foxing on the outer edge of the text block, not affecting the text or illustrations. 
Illustrations: Illustrated by Edmund Dulac with a striking colour frontispiece and eleven additional colour plates, plus numerous elegant black-and-white vignettes, headpieces, and tailpieces. This is the first edition illustrated by Dulac, a key entry in his late-period work.

Estimate: (USD 300 – 500).

The book: A wonderful first Edmund Dulac illustrated edition (1927) of Treasure Island, Robert Louis Stevenson’s immortal adventure of pirates, buried gold, and the mysterious Long John Silver. This edition, published by Ernest Benn Limited, represents Dulac’s mature illustrative style — more restrained yet atmospheric, filled with mood, subtle color, and a sense of cinematic narrative.

The gilt-bordered tan cloth binding exudes refinement and balance, typical of Ernest Benn’s 1920s fine press productions. Inside, Dulac’s twelve color plates bring to life the drama of Stevenson’s sea-tale, from “Striking the Jolly Roger” to “The Black Spot Again.” His palette captures both the menace and wonder of the story, while his detailed vignettes add visual rhythm to the text. A superb collector’s example of one of Dulac’s last great illustrated classics.

The author: Robert Louis Stevenson (1850–1894) was a Scottish novelist, poet, and essayist, celebrated for his adventure stories and his ability to fuse psychological insight with gripping narrative. His works — Treasure Island, Kidnapped, and The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde — secured him a lasting place among the most influential writers of the 19th century. Treasure Island (1883) became the archetype of the pirate adventure, shaping modern popular imagination of high-seas adventure.

The illustrator: Edmund Dulac (1882–1953) was one of the great illustrators of the Golden Age of British book illustration. Born in France and later naturalized British, Dulac was renowned for his dreamlike compositions, jewel-like colors, and refined draughtsmanship. His work on Treasure Island (1927) reflects his evolution from the lush orientalist style of his early fairy-tale books (Arabian Nights, Sleeping Beauty) to a more modern and dramatic visual language. Dulac’s interpretation of Stevenson’s classic stands as one of his most accomplished later achievements.