Search Results: Titles starting with A from Rare Illustrated Books

Denmark: Gyldendalske Boghandel Nordisk Forlag, 1927. First edition. Hansen, Ernst. Bold and striking Danish language early reader abecedarium, an animal illustrating each letter of the alphabet, with K for Kangaroo. Decorated by noted Danish woodblock artist Ernst Hansen with verses by Hans Hartvig Seedorff Pedersen. Quarto, 32pp, string tied in original colour illustrated wrappers; externally a little browned and worn at the extremities, otherwise fine.

Cleveland: The World Syndicate Publishing Co. An alphabet book picturing children from all around the world in their national costumes. Folio, a very good copy. Rare.

New York: McLoughlin Bros, 1885. American imprint of an old favourite. American reissue of the Alphabet of Animals from series titled Aunt Louisa's London Toy Books published by Warne in London. However, the format of this American edition is a little smaller, with different lithographic printing of the original images, and reset letterpress. Large octavo, bound in the original colour pictorial wrappers, six fully chromolithographed leaves, wrappers rubbed, good copy overall.

London: Longmans, 1965. From "The Arts in Australia" series. Succinct description of Aboriginal art in all mediums, from body painting to sand drawings, bark paintings, painted wooden shields, engraved stones and dendroglyphs. Mountford was an esteemed anthropologist and scholar of Aboriginal religion. Staple bound octavo booklet, illustrated in black & white and colour; original illustrated wrappers, a near fine copy.

San Francisco: Printed by James and Cecil Johnson at the Windsor Press, 1929. LINKS, Julian. Numbered limited edition of 225 copies signed by the author, of which this is number 88. The Ackymals is one of Williamson's short, standalone pieces of fiction from a prolific body of work that extends to well over fifty titles. James and Cecil Johnson of the Windsor Press were born in Sydney in 1897 and 1900 respectively. After serving in the First World War they established the Windsor Press in San Francisco. Slim octavo; 24pp, original decorated papered boards with gilt title on cloth spine, fore and bottom edges uncut, a fine copy in slipcase showing mild wear.

Sydney: Legend Press, 1948. Limited Edition. With a letter from Professor J.V. Duhig, biographical summary by Vida Lahey, and an explanation of technique by the artist himself. From the Australian Artist Editions series. Edition of 1100 copies, signed by the artist. Quarto, 48 pages, seventeen tipped colour plates, portrait photo plate of the artist; original yellow cloth with pictorial onlay, a near fine fresh copy in a similar dust-jacket.

Canberra: Macmillan in Association with the National Gallery of Australia, 1982. First Edition. Conveys a lengthy interview with the artist exploring the metaphysical motivations behind his paintings. Quarto, 144 pages, plates in colour and black & white; original red cloth; near-fine copy with the dust-jacket.

Ninetenth century scrapbook. Victorian. Christmas greeting cards and scraps arranged on each page with an outsider art feel. Some of the scraps have been arranged into different letters of the alphabet. Bound in hand-coloured illustrated leather boards, a border made from peacock feathers, title embossed on the front cover, a near fine copy.

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

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

Chicago: Donohue, Henneberry & Co, 1891. The tale of a remarkable journey from California to Australia with hundreds of extraordinary wood block illustrations. Remarkable nineteenth century work linking the two continents, in very good original condition. Quarto, original decorated boards with striking silver lettering, the spine ends and external hinges are rubbed, endpapers replaced, a nice copy.

Melbourne: John Wyatt, 1909. First Edition. The author's first book, published at age seventeen, contains four stories, one poem and her illustrations in the manner of her contemporary Ida Rentoul Outhwaite. Ethel Jackson Morris contributed to Dame Neilie Melba's Gift Book of Australian Art and Literature in 1915, published one other book in 1921, exhibited her work in Melbourne in the early 1920s, travelled overseas, and returned to married life in Sydney where she lived until her death in 1985 without appearing to write or exhibit again. Pictorial wrappers, ribbon tied. Extremities darkened and a little wear at edges, otherwise fine. Muir 5152.

Stuttgart: Ehlingen bei Stuttgart, 1898. Second Edition. Dr. von Ahles [1829 -1900] was a German professor in botany at Suttgart's Technical University from 1866 to 1896 when he became Rector of the University, retiring in 1899. Title translates as "Commonly distributed edible and noxious fungi with some microscopic enlargements and explanatory text for school and home use." Octavo, bound in illustrated teal gilt stamped boards, 215 mm x 150 mm, all edges red, forty chromolithographic plates, six in-text illustrations, typeset in Blackletter Fraktur. mild scuff to edges and spine, faint offset toning to text, all plates clear and bright,

London: Joseph Cundall, 1844. First Edition. Berghem, Durer, Everdingen, Hondius, A. Karl du Jardin, Le Ducq, Paul Potter, Fraser Redgrave, Rembrandt, Stoop, Tempesta, Teniers, Vandervelde. First edition, uncommon. An attractive illustrated alphabet, with a charming image of a Kangaroo. Among the other plates are etchings after Rembrandt and Albrecht Durer. [Percy Muir, English Children's Books, p. 180.] Handsome chapter initials decorate the accompanying text which is enchantingly written. ‘Fox. Look at this cunning, cruel fellow, making ready to spring among the chickens... But he will be punished tomorrow I think, for I heard uncle Tom order his red coat to be ready for hunting...' The Kangaroo entry remains the highlight, ‘The Kangaroo is brought from New Holland: we have some in England in the Zoological Gardens. Their Nature is not at all savage.' Henry Cole, who published this and other children's books under the pseudonym F.S. (Felix Summerly), was a notable figure of… Read More

London: New Era Publishing, 1935. 'The Hairdressing Profession is one of the oldest known to mankind, yet strangely enough very little literature has hitherto existed in relation to the technical side of this most honourable and ancient profession... Hairdressing is not only an art, it is also a craft. Therefore, in order to produce a complete treatise, we have gathered together a group of contributors each of whom is a specialist in one or more branches of his craft... This book represents the first and only one of its kind in the English language, comprising a comprehensive treatise on hairdressing, ranging from the relatively simple tasks of the gentleman's hairdresser to the more involved technique of the ladies' hairdresser and the beauty specialist, and including necesssary and essential knowledge for the trichological consulting room.' (Gilbert A. Foan, preface). Bound in half leather with red cloth boards, gilt, 225 mm x 280 mm, 548 pages, illustrated frontis, 77 photographic and illustrated… Read More

Paris: Audot, 1828. First Edition. First edition of this French instruction manual for cartonnage or making and designing objects with cardboard and paper. Tools, techniques for making basic shapes such as cones, cylinders, globes, et cetera., and methods of colouring, varnishing, and gilding are discussed. Instructions for making decorative objects such as baskets, work boxes, and ornaments follow. The projects develop in complexity from this point, with examples such as the Ionic temple presented in the frontispiece. Plates engraved by Nicholas Louis Rousseau. Bound together with DE BÉCOURT, A. "Art de Fabriquer Toutes Sortes d'Ouvrages en Papier" Pour l'Instruction et l'Amusement des Jeunes Gens des Deux Sexes. Published in Paris by Audot, 1828. First edition of an ingenious work for children designed to teach them applications of geometry. With a hand-coloured frontispiece. "L'art de représenter en papier sur une petite échelle un objet donné, consiste principalement il savoir dessiner,… Read More

Sydney: Angus & Roberston Ltd, 1921. First Edition. Of interest: an elusive watercolour by Richard Parkes Bonnington in the Mitchell Library; report by Blamire Young with a tipped colour late of the painting; 'The Japanese Outlook on Western Art' by A.L. Sadler, six pages; tipped colour plates by Hans Heysen and Sir John Longstaff; four full-page caricatures by George Finey with one page of text; Edith Fry on Fred. Leist, illustrated; open forum on tariffs on Australian artworks, contributors include Norman Lindsay and Datillo Rubbo; literary works by Hugh McRae and Lionel Lindsay. Small quarto, original printed wrappers, tipped colour plates, full-page black & white images; rear paper wrapper spearated along the rear edge of the spine, internally, aside from some foxing, this is a very good copy.

Sydney: Art in Australia, 1925. First Edition. Of interest: 'La Poupee' (The Doll) full-page woodcut printed in scarlet by Thea Proctor; 'Hans Heysen's Flower Pieces' by Lionel Lindsay with tipped colour plate; 'The Ornithologist of Cobbitty', seven page story illustrated by the author, Hardy Wilson; 'Sidney Thompson' by Howard Ashton with colour plate; 'Will Ashton' by Lionel Lindsay with colour plate; two page article on Sydney bookbinder, Wal. Taylor, illustrated with two pages of plates; 'Daryl Lindsay' by George Bell; 'E. Phillips Fox' by Lionel Lindsay; with L. Bernard Hall writing on the philosophy of art for public taste. Small quarto, original printed wrappers, tipped colour plates, full-page black & white images; a near fine copy.

Sydney: John Fairfax and Sons, 1936. Of interest: Drawings of Grecian and Chinese Architecture by Hardy Wilson, nine full-page sepia plates; Professor Leslie Wilkinson on the functions of architecture; paintings executed abroad by Will Ashton; notes on Australian typography by Benjamin Fryer six page report with seven full-page plates of samples printed in black and red. An excellent source for the study of Australian graphic design and book arts during the 1930s. Colour plates of Australian cabinet timber veneers with one page of explanatory text. Nine pages of plates illustrating modern Australian furniture designs. Photographically illustrated architecture review, structures range in size from small residences to large city buildings. Small quarto, original printed wrappers, tipped colour plates, full-page black & white images; covers a little marked otherwise an unusually fine copy.

Sydney: Angus and Robertson, 1919. Of interest: "Hans Heysen's Later Watercolours" by Lionel Lindsay, tipped colour plate; two tipped colour plates by Percy Leason; the Official Australian War Artists, tipped plates by H.S. Power, Fred Leist, Charles Bryant, M. Napier Waller; article on Frances Hodgkins, colour plate; 'Chrysanthemums', tipped colour plate by Constance L. Mackay; "Will Dyson's War Drawings" by Charles Marriott, five pages text, nine plates; "Norman Lindsay's Etchings" by Ure Smith, three pages text, two full-page black & white plates, 'The Grey Eyed Girl' and 'Who Comes!'; paintings of Hilda Rix Nichols; WW1 poem 'The Four Years' by L. Gellert; short articles on E. Spencer Mackay, Miss Cumbrae Stewart, each with colour plate; long article on Sir William Orpen, two colour plates. 'It is the rhythm which he seizes so unerringly, because he has long sought for it - that harmoniousrelation of necessary parts whch is the foundation of all great work, and which makes of Heysen's art… Read More