Terry, Ellen The Russian Ballet.

With drawings by Pamela Colman Smith.

London, Sidgwick & Jackson, [1913].
4to, VII, 52, [2] pp., ill.

In original orange cloth with black lettering. Title within ornamental border.
Near very good condition, small rubbing and soling, owner inscription to first free endpaper.

First British edition, published the same year as the New York edition.

A charming book by Ellen Terry (1847–1928), the renowned English actress celebrated for her Shakespearean roles, explores the influence of Russian ballet, particularly as popularized internationally by Sergei Diaghilev's Ballets Russes. The work examines how Russian ballet evolved from a national treasure into a global phenomenon. The text also delves into the unique artistry of the Ballets Russes, focusing on the legendary Vaslav Nijinsky and notable ballets such as Les Sylphides, Le Carnaval, Le Spectre de la Rose, and Prince Igor.
The book is enriched with illustrations by Pamela Colman Smith (1878–1951), a British-born artist, writer, and occultist, best known for designing the iconic Rider-Waite tarot deck. Smith worked in costume and stage design for the Lyceum Theatre group, led by Henry Irving, Bram Stoker, and Ellen Terry herself.
In 1913 the book was published by Sidgwick and Jackson in England and in the United States by the Bobbs-Merrill Company, with each edition featuring distinctive binding designs.