This unique collection of more than 60 important works by Hans Christian Andersen has been collected carefully and has for decades been in the possession of the same family. Hence the works are in an exceedingly good condition mostly with the original wrappers and bound in elegant bindings. A collection of this caliber and condition is only offered for sale once in a lifetime. The collection contains several of Andersen's most important and rare works and it includes his very first published book, Gjenfærdet ved Palnatokes Grav, which is extremely rare. Andersen's first book was written under the pseudonyme Villiam Christian Walter, inspired by his major literary idols William Shakespeare, Walter Scott and not least: himself. The work was published by the author himself in 1822, when he was just 17 years old and distributed to only 17 subscribers. Unfortunately the work never sold a single trade copy. Five years later the remainder was re-issued with a new title, but also never sold a single trade copy and the publisher ended up selling the sheets as wrapping paper to a grocery store. Therefore it is today as scarce as the first issue. Even though the work was criticized for being badly written it also contained seeds for the vivid, magical universe and humourous and fanciful figures that later inhabited his famous fairy tales. Also a rare, beautiful set of Hans Christian Andersen's first series of his famous fairy tales is presented in this collection. Andersen's first and now world famous fairy tales containing e.g. The Little Mermaid, The Tinder Box and The Emperor's Clothes were only issued in about 200 copies. “The tales of Hans Christian Andersen are unique. [...] Andersen's stories signalized a new and fundamentally different approach to the writing of books for children” (“Printing and the Mind of Man” # 299).