The Lore of the Unicorn
$20.00
The original 1930 edition, meticulously preserved. This edition moves beyond the sterile, mass-market reproductions often found today to bring you a premium Collector’s Facsimile. Every page maintains the historical pagination and aesthetic of the source text, paired with a bespoke cover design unique to this imprint.
Odell Shepard’s The Lore of the Unicorn is a sweeping and deeply researched study of one of the world’s most captivating mythical creatures. Originally published in 1930, this work stands as the definitive exploration of the unicorn’s place in human thought, imagination, and art. Shepard traces the creature’s roots back to the ancient civilizations of India, Mesopotamia, and Greece, where strange beasts of travelers’ tales first gave rise to the legend. From there, he follows the unicorn through centuries of European folklore and symbolism, weaving together stories from medieval bestiaries, the pages of Renaissance philosophy, and the delicate strokes of illuminated manuscripts and tapestries. More than just a catalog of sources, Shepard’s narrative reveals how the unicorn evolved into a potent emblem of purity, chastity, and spiritual aspiration—an image that bridged the worlds of myth, religion, and art. Blending rigorous scholarship with elegant prose, Shepard presents not only the history of a symbol but also the enduring human need for wonder, mystery, and the transcendent. The Lore of the Unicorn remains a classic study for readers fascinated by mythology, symbolism, and the ways in which imagination shapes culture.
