The Sleeping Beauty - together with - Cinderella. - C. S. Evans, Arthur Rackham (illustrator)

1919 - William Heinemann, London - First Rackham Illustrated Editions
Once upon a time...

A uniform large pair of Arthur Rackham’s only magical silhouette illustrated titles. In original decorated paper boards and dust jackets, housed in a bespoke red morocco, felt lined, clamshell case, with spine lettered and decorated in gilt.

The decorations and silhouette illustrations are in both black and white and in colour, adding a simple yet mystical air to these two classical fairy tales.
 
More details

Price HK$ 16,000



1933 - Suttonhouse, Los Angeles - Second Edition
A wonderful association copy of this children’s play inspired by Oscar Wilde’s ‘The Selfish Giant’, inscribed from the author to the legendary stage actress, producer, director, translator and author ‘Eva Le Gallienne, A brave woman who dared to carry out her ideals. In admiration from Julia Emsworth Ford. March 8th 1934, Hollywood Calif.’

Additionally with Eva Le Galliene’s fabulous engraved bookplate designed by the influential set and costume designer Waslav Richard Rychtarik (1894-1982), with a quote from her favourite Ibsen character, Hedda Gabler.

Illustrated by Arthur Rackham with three monochrome plates, and eight full page line drawings.
 
More details

Price HK$ 5,000



1942 - Michael Joseph Ltd., London - First Edition
A delightful children's book about a boy, ‘Poo-Poo’, (’his other names were Harold Heavyside Brown’), who adopts a number of rather mischievous dragons... illustrated throughout by the great Robert Lawson.

Forester, better known for his Captain Hornblower series, came up with the premise for the book while he was at home minding his two boys while his wife Kathleen was away. The younger of the two, 8 year old George, went on a hunger strike; he refused to eat. Forester made up the stories to tell during dinnertime, but would only tell them if George would eat. If George stopped eating, Forester stopped talking mid-sentence. By the time Kathleeen returned home, there were a number of Poo-Poo stories, and three dragons.
 
More details

Price HK$ 3,000



Chinese Fairy Tales - Phyllis Juby

1934 - Newspaper Enterprise, Hong Kong - First Editions
Four beautiful and fine little Fairy Tales bound in Chinese style, illustrated throughout ‘in the Chinese manner’ by her husband Hungarian (later South African) architect and pioneer film set designer Alesandro Sandor Konya. Housed in the publisher’s patterned purple silk case.

Includes:
The Mysterious Boat-Girl.
Hai and the Fairy Songster.
The Priest, The Moonmaid and The Fool's Magic.
The Stone Monkey.
 
More details

Price HK$ 8,000



The Ship That Sailed to Mars. A Fantasy - William Timlin

1923 - George G. Harrap &, London - First Edition
Beware, for there is magic within this large tome. A beautiful first edition of William Timlin’s wonderful, lavishly illustrated tale of fantasy and adventure, The Ship That Sailed to Mars, featuring 48 stunning mounted colour plates accompanying 48 mounted leaves of equally gorgeous calligraphic text also by Timlin. In the publisher’s stunningly gilt decorated vellum and paper binding.

Begun as a project to distract his young son, architect William M. Timlin’s masterpiece tells the story of a courageous Old Man, who despite dissuasion from scientists and astronomers, sets about designing himself a ship to sail to Mars. With the help of the Elf King’s favourite metalworker, and a lot of fairies, he eventually completes building his vessel, launching his marvellous machine into the skies, and encountering all manner of creatures – enchanting and otherwise – on his magical journey to Mars.

An exceptional example of one of an estimated 550 copies of the first edition [see note].
 
More details

Price HK$ 28,000