Sunday 16 June 2013

Arthur Rackham's Book of Pictures; Signed Limited Edition

This will be my last post for a while. I’m going to be without computer access for a couple of weeks but hope to be able to start posting and visiting you all again in July.

In the meantime, feast your eyes on these wonderful illustrations from Arthur Rackham's Book of Pictures.  Number 186 of a Limited edition of 1,030 numbered copies signed by Arthur Rackham of which 1000, numbered 1-1000, were for sale in Great Britain, Ireland and the Colonies; and thirty copies numbered 1001 - 1030 for presentation. Published by William Heinemann in 1913.


The illustrations in the book are grouped under different headings. So I will do the same...

Some Children
On The Beach

Children in The Broardwalk, Kensington Gardens

Marjorie and Margaret

Grotesque & Fantastic
The Gossips

Jack Frost

Mother Goose

The Leviathan

Once Upon a Time

The Wizard

Of the Little People
Elves

Seekers for Treasure

Goblin Thieves

By the Way

Malice

Some Fairy Tales
Santa Claus


Jack the Giant Killer


The Frog Prince


These illustrations are a small selection from the 44 superb colour plates in the Arthur Rackham Book of Pictures. Each plate is mounted on thick card behind a descriptive tissue guard. There are also 10 black-and-white illustrations. All the plates are in superb clean condition, free from creasing and tears.

Arthur Rackham's Book of Pictures in now sold, thank you for your interest.

As if all that loveliness were not enough the book is also signed and numbered by Arthur Rackham! 

Thank you so much for taking the time to call in.

Arthur Rackham Book of Pictures in now sold, thank you for your interest.

Tuesday 11 June 2013

Lost Treasure Found and Other News

Sandy from Patches of Heaven contacted me a few weeks ago to say she was looking for a book from her childhood. All she could remember about the story was a magical kind of forest, and a little girl called Belinda. I'm a big fan of Ivy Wallace and her books about Pookie the little white rabbit with wings. Belinda stars in the Pookie stories so it was very easy to point Sandy in the right direction. You can read Sandy's post here Lost Treasure Found at March House Books

If you are a regular reader of this blog, you might remember me mentioning a rare Rupert annual coming up for sale at auction. See the original post here. Bloomsbury Auctions estimated the value as £18000 to £22000 but in the end bidding stalled at £13000 and the annual went unsold. Sotheby’s had a rather better outcome when a first edition Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone containing personal annotations and illustrations by author J.K. Rowling sold for £150,000. It might be time to check your lofts, basements and outhouses in the hope of finding a copy!

You may also remember I mentioned finding a copy of the Jack and Jill all colour gift book containing a story about Tom Puss by Marten Toonder. I listed the book on eBay and am delighted to say it sold and is now on the way to the Netherlands. It’s a fitting end to the story as Marten Toonder was one of the most successful artists in the Netherlands famous for his Tom Puss and Oliver B Bumble comic strips. It's nice to know Tom Puss is on his way home.

For the joy of books; Catherine over at An Angel in the garden has written a lovely post about her favourite book shop. If you love books prepare to fall in love with this shop and with Catherine's blog!

Last but certainly not least if you are interested in ponies or books about ponies, I can thoroughly recommend a new book written by Jane Badger. Heroines on Horseback looks at the pony book through its beginnings in the 20s and 30s, to the glory days of the 40s and 50s, and beyond. Jane writes about the lives and contributions of noted exponents, including Primrose Cumming, Monica Edwards, Patricia Leitch, Ruby Ferguson and the Pullein-Thompson sisters, as well as providing a wide-ranging view of the genre as a whole, its themes and developments, illustrators and short stories. You can find out more about Jane and her book at Books Mud and Compost



That's all folks!

Friday 7 June 2013

Adventures in Magic Land ... Recent Auction Buys

I've been busy buying lots of lovely new (vintage) books recently and thought you might enjoy a quick preview.  New stock will be available to view at March House Books. It will take me some time to list everything so don’t forget to check the website often. If you are looking for a particular book, please let me know, and I will do my best to find it for you. I hope there is something for everyone in this selection. For further information on any of the featured books, please click on the links or contact me via comments or by email. There is an email link in the right hand column of this blog.

Roy Rogers Adventures No. 1, Eagle Annual No. 3,  The Beano Book 1959, Champion the Wonder Horse,  Roy Rogers Comic Album. 


Sooty Keeps Shop A Twirly Book published in 1954 with illustrations by Tony Hart. Turn a revolving wheel to display ‘moving’ black and white images in the cut out  window on the front cover. Reminiscent of the flickering images produced by old black and white television sets from years gone by. Roy Rogers' Rodeo pop-up book scarce and colourful book published c1950. Five pop-ups in perfect working order. Enid Blyton's New Big Noddy Book another colourful book produced by Sampson, Low and Marston in 1955. 


ABC in Living Models. One of the Bookano Living Model Series produced sometime between 1929 and 1949. The name Bookano was derived by combing the words "Book" and Meccano" the name of a popular mechanical toy. Here, with the turning of a page, whole forms and figures pop into life!

Rupert Bear Annuals from 1953, 1956 and 1957. 

The Hide & Seek Story Book one of a series of books published by Blackie & Son in the 1930s. I previously featured The Bluebell Story Book and The Pansy Story Book.  Adventures in Magic Land is one I've not seen before and very pretty it is too. Written in 1917 by Dorothy Black with illustrations by Florence Mary Anderson. With lots of stories, including Adventures in Magic Land, Sandy's great thought, the magic potion, the magic beads and other tales. Warne's Happy Book for Girls, The big book for girls, Girls favourite book and Warne's Pleasure book for girls are also waiting to be listed.

The annuals on the left are in the next box waiting to be checked and listed. I've not looked inside any of them yet, but the covers are enough to make my heart sing! I love annuals from the 1950s because they take me back to my own childhood.

I hope you've enjoyed this quick preview.  I must away now and get on with listing them. I hope to have them all done by the time you call in at my website. If you can’t find anything, or you need more information please do get in touch either in the comments' section or by email (see email link in right-hand column). Thanks for calling in!



All the books featured here are now sold, thank you for your interest.

Update July 2016: March House books closed on my retirement in 2015, but I do still blog here at March of Time Books and always appreciate your visit. 

Sunday 2 June 2013

Cats and dogs...and Peter Rabbit

Postcards from my collection;

My postcard collecting habit isn't confined to any particular subject. I like cards with cats or dogs just as much as cards with fairies or children. If there is an interesting message and a pretty picture, it makes them twice as nice, but it only needs one of those things to grab my attention.

A hand coloured card produced by E.W. Savory of Bristol.

I’m not sure what ‘the joke’ is but this happy looking dog certainly seems to be enjoying it.

You Naughty Bird! By Louis Wain. Posted  January 11th, 1905. 
Message reads - Dear May, what is the matter, are you ill, how is your face? Please write soon as we are so anxious. Hoping you are well, I am your loving friend Gwen. 

Oh dear I do hope May replied to poor Gwen! How much easier it is now with email and mobile 
phones!

Oh! I've got a pane! Illustration by A. E. Kennedy. Published by C. W. Faulkner and posted in 1943.

I can’t make head nor tail of the handwriting on this one so although there is a message, I’ve no idea what it is!  I may not be able to read the message on the back, but I love the message on the front! It reminds me of a poem called English is a pain! (pane?)

Rain, reign, rein, English is a pain. Although the words sound just alike, the spelling's not the same!
Bee, be, B, I'd rather climb a tree than learn to spell the same old word not just one way, but three!
Sight, site, cite, I try with all my might. No matter which I choose, it's not the one that's right!
There, their, they're, I almost just don't care. Too many ways to write one sound, I just don't think it's fair! To, two, too, so what's a kid to do? I think I'll go to live on Mars and leave this mess with ewe! (you?)

The unchained dog. Come any nearer if you dare.  By Cecil Aldin. Published by Raphael Tuck in their "Oilette" series. Message reads - Have got address elsewhere. Let me know if you have sent. 

Interesting! I wonder what that's all about. 

Have landed safely here, having a good time.
Published by E. T. W. Dennis. Posted to a Miss Elizabeth Webb on the 25th August, 1954. Darlings, here is a pussy to bring my love. Hoping you all are well and will have a good holiday with some nice warm weather. Such love to you all. K & G.  

I'm fed up waiting! Art and Humour Publishing, London. A & H Funny Dogs Series.
Posted on the 20th March, 1920. 
Message reads - Say Siss, do I owe you a letter, or do you owe me one? I dinna Ken the noo; but I hae ma douts. Anyhow I'm fed up waiting so you may expect a six page letter soon. From Yours Truly Pearl.

The last card is my favourite, more because of the message than the illustration. ”From Yours Truly Pearl” is a great way to end, but I hae ma douts about her Scottish Ancestry!


Peter Rabbit;


A week ago yesterday this little rabbit appeared looking dazed and bewildered. We watched for ages in the hope that another rabbit, preferably his mum would come and fetch him, but by the time it got dark he was still sitting in the same spot in the corner of the garden. We thought about trying to catch him but each time we made a move his ears shot up and his nose started to twitch, so with sinking hearts we went to bed not expecting him to survive the night. But on Sunday morning, he emerged from under the shed, took a look about and proceeded to explore.


We so enjoyed watching him meandering around, but the threat of the neighbourhood cats gave us more than a few sleepless nights. We have been on rabbit watch all week!  On Friday night, the security lights came on and lo and behold there was not one but two cats prowling around the garden. Opening the bedroom window and shouting proved pointless but the sight of a mad woman (me) in PJs careering around the garden was enough to make them scat! Yesterday morning the little rabbit once more emerged from under the shed looking none the worse for wear.

Spot the Rabbit!

In the Peter Rabbit stories by Beatrix Potter, Peter was partial to some lettuces and some French beans and some radishes. Not so with ‘our’ little rabbit – first he ate some London Pride (Saxifrage umbrosa), some daises and some grass. Then he explored the rockery and the bedding plants and tried a little nibble of each. And that was the last we saw of him. We keep going to the windows and the back door, but the garden is quite empty. Has he moved on to another garden with nicer things to nibble? We hope he is safe, but don’t suppose we will ever know. It may be that one of the cats carried him away or maybe one of the buzzards that are always around, or perhaps bedding plants and saxifrage were his undoing.   It was such a privilege to meet you little rabbit – be well!

I saw this the other day; The Little Things That Separate andUnite Cat Owners vs Dog Owners.  It’s well worth a read.