Search Results: Magic from Rare Illustrated Books

Adelaide Mail, 1938. Gibbs, May and Glover, Tom. Single sheet, one face printed in colour featuring Gumnut Babies 'Bib and Bub' by May Gibbs delivering Christmas presents with their friends and 'Skeeter and His Magic Ring' by Tom Glover. The reverse face of the sheet is the Christmas children's letters section. Single broadside sheet measuring 410 x 590 mm, some large chips have resulted in minor loss of images, else in good order for a publication of this age and nature.

Éditions des Laboratoires du Mictasol, 1930. Three booklets in one detailing a range of Chinese medical practices from traditional to therapeutic to highly alterative. Each booklet is presented with a colour illustration as a frontispiece. Includes explanations of Chinese herbs and acupuncture. "La bibliothéque médicale chinoise comprend une infinité de volumes dont les plus anciens traitent surtout de la vertu des simples..." Octavo, 56 pages, 140 mm x 188 mm, three volumes in one, decorative paper wrappers illustrated with a red and gold dragon bound with the original cord ties in three colours, three full pages colour illustrations, a few light creases to wrappers with stamp, a very good copy of this extremely scarce work.

London and New York: Longmans, Green and Co, 1892. Limited first edition. Ford, H.J.. A handsome copy of the third of Lang's beautiful fairy books with illustrations by Henry J. Ford. The Scots author was an avid collector of fairy tales from around the world and many of the stories in this collection, particularly the classic French tales, are translated here into English for the first time. In the preface Lang writes, "The stories in all the books are borrowed from many countries; some are French, some German, some Russian, some Italian, some Scotish, some English, one Chinese. However much these nations differ about trifles, they all agree in liking fairy tales." One of the French stories collected in 'The Green Fairy Book' may have provided inspiration for J.R.R. Tolkien's 'The Hobbit' and 'Lord of the Rings'. Issued in the year of Tolkien's birth, we know that Tolkien had read the 'The Enchanted Ring' in Lang's 'Green Fairy Book'. Tolkien makes reference to the collection in his dissertation,… Read More

Sydney: Angus & Robertson Limited, 1948. Norman Lindsay. First post-war edition.The Magic Pudding is the best-loved and most frequently reprinted of all Australian children's books, and a classic of modern Australian literature. 'The book is spontaneous and alive, the illustrations reinforcing the text, and the characterisation brilliantly realised' (Muir). Angus & Robertson's initial belief that the book would appeal to children and collectors of Norman Lindsay alike has proven correct ever since. Blue cloth decorated boards, 171pp. 15 part-colour illustrations and other black and white illustrations. In original dust jacket, edges chipped and repaired. A very good copy. Previous owner's inscription on half-title page.

London: Longmans, Green and Company, 1925. First Edition. The Merry Piper is an exuburant and rambling adventure by Harold Gaze (1885-1962). Born in New Zealand, Gaze came to Melbourne in 1918 and stayed until 1921, producing a vast quantity of high quality work during a short space of time. He published four books in 1919 alone. Many of the plates that adorn his books were probably produced before the Melbourne publishing period, and a few clearly date as far back as 1910. One of the most enigmatic Australasian juvenile illustrators, little is known of his early life or artistic training. Commercial publishing success in the United States eventually led Gaze to settle in Pasadena where he continued his dual career as a munitions expert, truly an odd blend of violence and sensitivity. Gaze is a confident and skilful watercolourist, a master of the opaque application technique that gives his work a feel of magical translucence. The plates and vignettes are reminiscent of the work of Arthur Rackham… Read More

London: Macmillan, 1890. Nursery version of the classic story conceived to be read and 'cooed over' by younger readers. The two additional 'puzzle-pictures' or sketches that complement this copy are rare and precious examples of a game Carroll used to play with children - the object being to guess the animal before Carroll had finished drawing it. Presentation copy of the first published edition - inscribed by Lewis Carroll on the half title - with two original ink puzzle-pictures by Lewis Carroll tipped in. Quarto, bound in original pictorial boards, preserved in a deep blue, folding, cloth box, 257 mm x 200 mm., 75 pages, colour frontispiece and 3 full-page colour illustrations, numerous illustrations throughout; water damage affecting pages at front and end, endpapers browned and corners worn, otherwise a very good copy.

Sydney: Websdale, Shoosmith Limited, 1911. Extremely rare publication by Aileen L Burrow ("Neelia"), presenting two Australian bush stories. Typset and illustrated by the author throughout in sepia, this is a rare addition to the ouevre of Burrow. Near fine condition, no other copies listing. Quarto, staple-bound in illustrated wrappers, 18pp. Illustrations set in text throughout. A near fine copy.