Fairyland; of Ida Rentoul Outhwaite by Ida Rentoul Outhwaite (Illustrations); Grenby Outhwaite (Stories); Annie R. Rentoul (Stories and Verses) - 1931

London: A. & C. Black, Ltd, 1931. First Edition. Hardcover. Near fine. Outhwaite, Ida Rentoul. First UK edition, folio size, 128 pp., in a custom binding. Ida Rentoul Outhwaite (1888-1960) is likely one of the best-known Australian illustrators during the "Golden Age of Illustration"; her style has been compared to that of Arthur Rackham, "though lacking his sinister wildness". Called "the master of dreamlike black and white", she "often drew sea-foam, moonshine, [and] transparent insect wings" (n.b., quotes from an article in "The Sydney Morning Herald" published 15 February, 1986).

This work with sixteen delicate full-page colour plates by Outhwaite and numerous black-and-white drawings throughout. When we acquired this volume the binding was too compromised to salvage, accordingly we had it custom bound by a professional (name available upon request) in half-leather and changeable silk, a binding worthy of the artwork.

Note that this is the first edition printed in the UK; a deluxe edition was published in Melbourne in1926 and was limited to 1000 copies, the first trade edition was published in New York by Frederick A. Stokes Company in 1929.

___DESCRIPTION: Bound in half cerulean blue leather with gilt rules where the leather meets the cloth, the cloth of changeable silk in shades of blue and gold, the spine stamped with gilt lettering and decorations and the publication year at the tail, illustrated endpapers in green silhouettes, frontispiece one of the sixteen full-page, full-colour illustrations, title page with black-and-white vignette, Contents page with another black-and-white vignette, the volume replete with both full-page and in-text black-and-white illustrations; folio size (13" by 10 1/4"), pagination: [1-8] 9-128.

___CONDITION: Near fine, custom binding pristine, straight corners without rubbing, a strong, square text block with solid hinges, the interior is clean and bright, and collated complete; some light foxing at the first and final few leaves, a prior owner gift inscription (dated 1945) at the very top margin of the front free endpaper, the rear endpapers renewed using the same images as on the front endpapers.

___CITATION: Baumgarten, Artist, p. 149.

___POSTAGE: International customers, please note that additional postage may apply as the standard does not always cover costs; please inquire for details.

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