The Wind in the Willows. With Original Watercolour by Van Sandwyk by Grahame, Kenneth [Illustrated by Charles Van Sandwyk] - 2008

London: Folio Society, 2008. Undetermined. as new. 1st Limited Edition. 280 pp. Quarto (13" X 9.75"). Quarter vellum binding blocked in 22-carat gold with vellum tips and paper sides blocked in three metallic foils. Gilt top edge. Illustrated endpapers. An original watercolour by Van Sandwyk has been tipped in onto the front fly leaf with a gold gilt leaf decorative border drawn directly onto the page. Roughly 100 illustrations and 16 tipped-in colour plates with a signed hand-printed etching tipped onto the limitation page. An original full colour plate by Van Sandwyk tipped in as a frontispiece. Comes in a dark green cloth-bound clamshell case. In flawless condition. Copy number 61 out of a limited printing of 1000 copies. The prospectus for this item has been laid in loose. This Folio Society edition follows the original 1908 Methuen and Co text. A truly beautiful item. Charles Van Sandwyk's illustrations have been compared favourably to Ernest Shepard's and Arthur Rackham's illustrations of Kenneth Grahame's classic work. Van Sandwyk's works hang in the National Library of Canada and his other award-winning books include the Parade to Paradise, Sketches from the Dream Island of Birds and How to See Fairies. Signed by Van Sandwyk on the limitation page. The watercolour, which is unique to this copy of the book, is of Ratty and Moley in a row boat--signed by Van Sandwyk in the lower righthand corner with a little dragonfly. An exquisite copy. 2008