Written by Adalbert Stifter. Translated by Elizabeth Mayer and Marianne Moore. Illustrated by Josef Scharl. First edition thus, 1945. Pantheon Books.
"The Church observes various festivals that are ever dear to the heart. What more gracious than Whitsuntide: more sacred or of deeper significance than Easter. The portentous sadness of Holy Week and exaltation of the Sunday following, accompany us throughout life. One of the most beautiful of Church festivals comes in midwinter when nights are long and days are short, when the sun slants toward earth obliquely and snow mantles the fields: Christmas."
Rock Crystal: A Christmas Tale tells the story of two children who get lost in the Alps on Christmas Eve and have to survive a night in the snow. The book is considered a masterpiece of German literature and has been praised for its realistic depiction of nature and its moral message.
Adalbert Stifter was a 19th-century Austrian writer and painter. He is best known for his novels and stories that depict the beauty and harmony of nature, as well as the moral and spiritual values of human beings. He was also a prominent representative of the Biedermeier style, which emphasized domesticity and sentimentality. Some of his most famous works include Der Nachsommer (Indian Summer), Die Mappe meines Urgroßvaters (The Portfolio of My Great-Grandfather), and Bergkristall (Rock Crystal).
Joseph Scharl (1896-1954) was a German painter and sculptor who belonged to the expressionist movement. He studied art in Munich and Berlin, and was influenced by Paul Klee and Wassily Kandinsky. He was persecuted by the Nazis for his modernist style and his Jewish ancestry, and fled to Switzerland in 1938. He later moved to New York, where he continued to create abstract and figurative works.
Etsy.com/shop/TheCharmedBookshop
Visit TheCharmedBookshop.com for more books for children and collectors
Condition: Very Good/Very Good. Slipcase decorated with small gold stars: Damp stain along lower edge, front and back; light fading along fore edge. Quarter-bound blue cover boards w/ gold stars and yellow cloth spine: Small damp stain at lower gutter between back fly leaf and pastedown; faint soiling near head of the spine. Pages are clean, undamaged, and complete.
Shipping from United States
Processing time
1-3 business days
Estimated shipping times
- Australia : 1 - 3 business days
- United States : 1 - 3 business days
- North America : 1 - 3 business days
- Europe : 1 - 3 business days
- Australia, New Zealand and Oceania : 1 - 3 business days
- Asia Pacific : 1 - 3 business days
- Latin America and the Caribbean : 1 - 3 business days
- North Africa and the Middle East : 1 - 3 business days
- Sub-Saharan Africa : 1 - 3 business days
I'll do my best to meet these shipping estimates, but can't guarantee them. Actual delivery time will depend on the shipping method you choose.
Customs and import taxes
Buyers are responsible for any customs and import taxes that may apply. I'm not responsible for delays due to customs.
Payment Options
Returns & Exchanges
I gladly accept returns, exchanges, and cancellations
Just contact me within: 7 days of delivery
Ship items back to me within: 14 days of delivery
Privacy policy
* I will not share your personal information with third parties.
* I will contact you only through Etsy or an email address you provide to convey information about your order and news exclusive to The Charmed Bookshop.
* In placing your order, please provide Etsy with an active email address to ensure that I can get in touch with you about your order.
Frequently Asked Questions
Gift wrapping and packaging
I wrap every book with care and ship it in a padded mailing envelope or sturdy box. If you're purchasing a gift, please advise when ordering and include a gift message.
Care instructions
1. I lightly clean books, as needed, but I don't attempt repairs or restoration. If you'd like a book restored, you'll find trustworthy, qualified experts in your area through libraries or museums.
I also recommend the following care instructions.
American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works -
https://goo.gl/6CZ9zA
2. Photos are cropped and resized to Etsy guidelines but are otherwise unedited. Please contact me if you'd like additional photos of book details.
3. Descriptions of condition are based on guidelines from the Independent Online Booksellers' Association.
Order processing time
I'll process and ship your purchase in 1 - 3 business days, and I'll ship anywhere in the world via any mail or delivery service that Etsy offers. (Please refer to the Shipping section for average shipping turn-around times by region.) If I encounter any delays in processing your order, I will advise you in advance.