Wattle Babies - May Gibbs Circa 1918 - Angus &, Sydney - First or very early edition Scarce copy of the fifth and final booklet in May Gibb’s famous Gum Nut series, which laid the way for her series of ten longer books relating the adventures of Snugglepot and Cuddlepie (and their friends and relations) over the next quarter of a century.

Charmingly illustrated with a colour plate tipped onto the front covers, a colour frontispiece, pictorial title page, and eleven full page sepia-tinted plates. May took inspiration from the Australian Golden Wattle for
The Wattle Babies.

First or very early edition, with no date to title page, publisher given as Angus & Robertson Ltd and printed by W. C. Penfold & Co. Ltd.
  May Gibbs (1877-1969), author, illustrator and cartoonist, has captured the hearts and imaginations of generations of Australians with her lovable bush characters and fanciful landscapes. Her iconic children's literature and folklore is still as popular as ever, holding a special place in the Australian consciousness. Best known for her Gum Nut series of Snugglepot and Cuddlepie, Gibbs also wrote and illustrated many other children's books, produced long-running cartoon strips and a variety of commercial work. A fiercely determined woman, she was Australia's first full-time, professionally trained children's book illustrator, developing an uniquely Australian fantasy vernacular which is relevant now as it was then. In 1955, May Gibbs was appointed Member of the British Empire (MBE) in acknowledgement of her important contribution to children’s literature.

Printed by W. C. Penfold & Co. Ltd., Sydney.

References: State Library of New South Wales [web 2.sl.nsw.gov.au/archive/discover_collections/society_art/gibbs/index.html]. Marcie Muir, A Bibliography of Australian Children's Books, 2738. Holden,
May Gibbs: More Than a Fairy Tale, 92.

Thin octavo (size 22.2x14.3cm), pp. [26] [2 blank]. In publisher’s light brown card wrappers, bound with brown and orange string tie, colour plate tipped on to front panel which is lettered in dark brown.
  Condition: Near fine, a little soiling and wrinkling to top panel, foxing along top edge of first page, else clean, the to and from on the first page have been neatly filled in.   Ref: 108050   Price: HK$ 2,000