Rare books from Rare Illustrated Books

Sydney: Art in Australia, 1920. A beautiful copy of Lindsay's famous work covering the meaning of life and art, drawing on philosophical concepts. Signed on front endpaper by Lindsay with a full page original etching tipped in "All who would examine the problem of Life must first remove from it the problem of Existence. It is the confusion between these two things that has confused all human morality. By Existence one comprehends the body, and all that serves to supply its needs, to keep its machinery active. By Life one understands all that goes beyond the body, the impulse that we vaguely call the mind, the soul, the intellectual process. The body is the poor relation of the mind, the servant, the vehicle. In serving its needs, one supplies movement; in servings its senses, one supplies material for the intellectual process. Between these functions, high and low, one must seek a direction for Man's destiny. To find that direction is to find the High Morality. In short, to find the direction of… Read More

Leipzig: Bibliographisches Institut, 1904. First edition of this famous and marvelous work by German biologist, Ernst Haeckel (1834 -1919). At the start of the twentieth century, 'Kunst-Formen der Natur' had a considerable influence on decorative design in the art nouveau period depicting fantastic, real forms and structures found in animal and plant life. Kunst-Formen der Natur" (English: "Art Forms in Nature") is a publication that showcases a collection of intricate illustrations of various organisms, primarily marine lifeforms. It is considered a landmark work in the field of biological illustration and art. The publication was created by the German biologist and artist Ernst Haeckel. Haeckel was renowned for his contributions to the fields of biology, evolutionary theory, and natural philosophy. He had a keen interest in the aesthetics of nature and believed that art and science could coexist harmoniously. "Kunst-Formen der Natur" was first published in 1899 as a portfolio of 100 lithographic… Read More

Probaly Venice, 1825. An exquisite suite of watercolours, including a beautiful series of scenes documenting a Venetian commedia dell'arte troupe, by the Italian artist Francesco Novelli. Francesco Novelli (1767-1836), one of the preeminent artists of his generation, lived in Venice where he was best known for his outstanding book illustration. He enjoyed a long and successful career that culminated in the landmark editions of Don Quixote (1819) and Gil Blas (1820). Novelli is also known for illustrating works such as the Fasti Veneziani (1794), hinting at his abiding interest in the theatre and the performing arts. In this unmatched collection of Novelli's watercolours, the greatest number are piquant images of a troupe of the commedia dell'arte, with especially fine depictions of Pierrot himself, as well as other key figures such as Columbine and Harlequin. There is a remarkable series of scenes from a play, as well as studies of individual performers, many so precisely rendered that it is almost… Read More

Paris: Javal and Bordeaux, 1930. Limited Edition. JOUVE, Paul. Illustrated by one of the leading painters in France, this superb work brings Kipling's classic Jungle Book story into the realm of fine 20th century French publishing. Limited edition of 125 copies, bound in snakeskin-style folding case, protected by matching slipcase (some wear), 340 mm x 265 mm, 130 unbound pages as issued, 21 plates, printed on imperial Japan paper, an excellent copy.

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.

Tokyo: Seibundô, Shôwa 5, 1930. First Edition. [Shiseidô] AYAO YAMANA. Ayao Yamana (1897-1980) Japanese artist, graphic designer and illustrator largely responsible for the elegant look and style of Shiseido cosmetics. Hundreds of art deco designs for tea rooms, bars and cafes created by Yamana early in his career, prior to his appointment as the art director of Shiseido. This beautiful portfolio of Yamana's early work introduces a modified deco aesthetic. In the original printed wrappers, all enclosed in the original portfolio cover. The height of chic graphic design: remarkable, ephemeral, rare, complete. First edition, quarto, original portfolio, illustrated wrappers, 52 pages, black & white and color plates, a near fine copy of an extremely rare book.

London: Paul Jerrard, 1852. First Edition. Mid-nineteenth century opulence: two elaborate Victorian plate books with plates of fruit and flowers complimenting verse, fully printed in gilt. Two folios in original cloth with large colour card onlay on front board and gilt floral motif on rear, 24 full-page chromolithographic plates each facing a matching gilt printed poem; cloth mildly browned in book 1, binding rubbed and mild preliminary foxing in book 2, a very good set with beautiful clean plates.

Paris: Fabrique Générale d'Articles de Voyages, 1840. First Edition. Alexis Godillot (1816-1893) was a contemporary of Louis Vuitton (1821-1892) and first achieved renown in Paris for his beautiful hand-made luggage. With a workshop situated just a few blocks away from Vuitton's, this catalogue comes from this very early period of Godillot's life before he had revolutionised footwear by differentiating the moulding of the left shoe from the right and become the famous shoemaker who would go on to equip over one hundred thousand French soldiers for The Crimean War. 'Godillot' remains a slang French term for 'boot' to this day. The album features superb hand-coloured lithographs with an original sketch showcasing nearly one hundred accessories including bags, picnic baskets, apparel, wonderful old trunks, tents, and hammocks- true 'objets nomades' - many of which are in surprisingly bold and modern designs. A beautiful, rare, and precious catalogue of the articles a traveller might require for… Read More

Paris: Meynial, 1925. First Edition. George Barbier. A complete and excellent set of the five annual issues illustrated with a total of sixty beautiful pochoir plates, complete with decorated pochoir title pages. 'Falbalas and Franfreluches' (Frippery and Finery: Fashion Diaries) represents a literary and artistic collaboration of unusual elegance and sophistication. French illustrator, George Barbier (1882 - 1932) spared no effort in the making of this beautiful collection, using the finest pigments and up to thirty stencils per print to create images of the highest quality reflecting fashionable themes of the day. The plates portray romance amidst exotic lands and ages past, including a native American idyll on the Missouri, a languid mistress cocooned in a hammock in the tropical Antilles, high baroque debauchery, and, of course, a myriad of lovers depicted in Paris at the height of the chic 1920s. Each annual includes twelve pages of fine writing by Barbier's contemporaries in the Parisian scene… Read More

This beautiful drawing, probably from the period when Gaze was serving in the First World War, shows a little boy at play. It is titled in pencil "Lonesome". Born in New Zealand in 1885, a whimsical artist with outstanding talent, Harold Gaze is one of the more elusive Australasian children's writers and illustrators. We know little with exactitude about his life. After being rejected for active service, Gaze reputedly studied at various art schools in London for a period before publishing his first (recorded) book illustrations in New York in 1917: I Wish I Could Fly by Rose Strong Hubbell. At the close of World War I, Gaze moved to Melbourne and launched his career with The Wicked Winkapong in 1918. He exhibited at the Victorian Artists Society Annual Exhibition in May 1919 and over the next few years his work "established him as the most original illustrator of children's books after Ida Rentoul Outhwaite" (Holden). In 1927, commercial publishing success in the United States led Gaze to settle… Read More

London: Elliot Stock, 1898. A superb example of a vellucent binding. Cedric Chivers (1853 -1929) of Bath revived the technique of painting under vellum. Chivers would execute his paintings on paper which was covered with a translucent skin to form the binding, The covers were then lightly tooled with gold. It is rare to find such a finely preserved fine binding. Signed by Chivers. In 'Days and Hours in a Garden', 19th century Scotish artist and writier, Eleanor Vere Boyle (1825 -1916) takes us through the months of the year, the cherry blossoms, the rooks, the wild ivy etc. etc., reminiscent of a modest walled-garden 'Walden' by Thoreau. VIII MAY "There have been just one or two sweet days, when the white Cherry orchards shone softly against the sky of serenest blue; days when we did not but revel in the joyous present, forgetting quite that ever it could be that "rough winds do shake the darling buds of May" Octavo, vellucent binding, top edge gilt, frontispiece, small woodcut illustrations… Read More

London: Harvey and Darton, 1830. First Edition. First edition: considered the first novel of Australia. This is an exemplary copy of the very scarce first edition, bound with the advertisements in the publisher's roan-backed marbled boards of the first issue. In the novel, the affable Dudleys are forced to emigrate, whereupon they purchase several hundred acres on the Hunter River. Here they grow crops and tend their "pet Merinos", which had travelled with them across from France. Much of the action centres on their interaction with First Australians, and the eponymous Alfred becomes particularly close to a younger boy called "Mickie" from a local community, who saves him from a treacherous fall in the bush, and becomes a sort of voluntary personal valet, assistant, and sidekick. There is illness, and adversity, and a lively description of the dangers of a kangaroo hunt, but on the whole the European settlers are enchanted with New South Wales. "This tale for juveniles is founded on the circumstances… Read More

Paris: Noel aîné, 1827. A splendid collection of expressive coloured lithographs depicting the animals of the world. This attractive album includes the entire run of 41 consecutive separately-issued plates; at which point, despite the charm and quality of the scenes, the publisher seems to have closed the series, making this a rare collection, and all the more impressive given that even individual plates are uncommon. Colour lithography did not have its full flowering as a medium for printed illustration until adopted by Paris publishers in the 1820s: this album thus dates from the infancy of the truly commercial process, which may also explain the individual rarity of the plates. Because it was never formally completed, no title-page nor accompanying letterpress for the series was produced, though the title ‘Collection d'Animaux' appears in the publisher's 1827 catalogue of plates available for individual purchase (at a franc each, or 75 centimes uncoloured). The images were produced by… Read More

Tokyo: Kokkeido, 1920. First Edition. A rare work by a celebrated female Japanese artist, Mizuno Hidekata (1875- 1944). Hidekata was one of the first popular professional female ukiyo-e artists, specialising in genre scenes and the reappraisal of Bijin (pictures of beautiful women), also working on illustrations for Sh jo Sekai, Jogaku Sekai, among other magazines. Hidekata studied under Mizuno Toshikata, whom she later married. Despite being a forerunner for professional twentieth century female artists in Japan, it is hard to find her works today. The woodcuts in this attractive album are beautiful, balanced, executed in lovely colours, several highlighted with silver. Prints depict scenes with kimono-attired women and girls in various sensitive settings titled: as, at springtime; a slight token of esteem; sudden shower; the beginning of the year; the odour of the plum blossoms; after school, with captions in Japanese and English. Worldcat offers the location of only one copy in the National… Read More

A rare offering of a beautiful watercolour by Pixie O'Harris painted to illustrate the publication "Pearl Pinkie and Sea Greenie" (Angus & Robertson, 1935) Early works such as this one rarely come to market. Pixie O'Harris's second book, "Pearl Pinkie and Sea Greenie: The Story of Two Little Rock-Sprites" is a dainty example of magical storytelling, a vibrant and exciting underwater tale, beautifully illustrated with the artist's characteristic charm and grace. Born in Wales, Pixie O'Harris (1903 -1991) immigrated to Australia with her family when she was sixteen years old and became Sydney's contribution to the Ida Rentoul Outhwaite "Elves and Fairies" school of illustration.  With its bright, fanciful colour plates printed on high-quality paper, children's literature expert, Robert Holden writes that Pixie O'Harris' Pearl Pinkie and Sea Greenie was the most lavish children's book published by Angus & Robertson Ltd during the Depression. [HOLDEN, R. A Golden Age: Visions of Fantasy. Pymble,… Read More