Poetical Works - an art of Illustration (An Antique Books Guide)

Poetical works are a staple of British literature, forming an important section of printing history.
Yet these books are also valuable as examples of the art of illustration for poetical works display some of the most extravagant and attractive decorations around.
A poetical works book can focus on any poet, from Longfellow to William Cowper, and generally feature many different poems and several illustrations.

Below are a selection of some that I have had the pleasure of owning. Hopefully my readers might find poetry more attractive once they see what the books are like.

Cover design

Poetical works are most commonly gilt decorated, featuring intricate gold patterns that integrate the book's title and often floral designs to create a highly presentable exterior.

Some feature multiple colours for decoration and generally black is used to complete the effect.

Illumination

Another aspect of these books is the art of illumination.
You can read my blog post about illuminating here:
http://anantiquebooksguide.blogspot.co.uk/2013/11/illuminating-illuminated-books-antique.html

These books will often features the usual decoration for the covers but will also feature a similarly designed title page inside which uses colours and gilding to create a design of stunning beauty.
These books are often sought after purely for this page.

Other designs

There are of course other designs for the book overs of Poetical Works - the ones I have shown you already are mostly Victorian era and so similar in appearance.

The book below is Victorian too but features a more subtle design styled in the Art-Nouveau fashion. Note that flowers and gilt play a major role in the design still.

This is a more simple poetical works yet features gilt and a black design on the cover just with lesser impact than some of the more highly decorated editions.

This design is more subtle still and exhibits the style of a Georgian or Edwardian era book. The blank covers are cheaper for printers to create but the decorative spine makes the book look presentable on a bookshelf. 

This highly decorative book is early Edwardian and displays more inventive design with a range of additional colours, partly due to artistic taste and partly due to new technology allowing this.

And that marks the end of this post.
Thanks, as ever, for reading!
 

The Occult: Myth, Magic and Superstition (An Antique Books Guide)

The Occult

I should begin this post with a disclaimer: I am by no means an expert in occult collecting. Far from it in fact. I do however have a few interesting photos and examples of books on the occult to share. And a little advice.

Books on the occult often sell well - very well in some cases. Partly this is due to the limited circulation figures such obscure titles get. However, another part of the value of these books is the fact that they offer a glimpse into the unknown, the hidden and the inaccessible.

Being given a chance to see into a world away from ours is always going to be exciting, whether it's the world of the Illuminati, the Masons or even those who attempt magic.

And that is exactly what occult books do - they offer this unique opportunity, this small glimpse like a door left ajar, looking in on a different world to our own.

Below are a few examples of such books. I would be the first to admit a lack of belief in such books but it is easy to see their appeal and for that they are important to understand from a collector's perspective.

1939 Masonic Lodge Annual:

This leather bound volume is a genuine artifact from an impressive Masonic Lodge and offers a real look into the elusive sect of the Masons.

1960's book on Magic and the Supernatural:

A large and lavish book known for its comprehensive detail of various supernatural aspects.

The Famous Lancashire Witches book:

A well-known story of the famous Pendle Witches - based on fact according to some.

Transcendental Magic:

One of the 'holy grail' books concerning magic. This particular volume deals with topics ranging from necromancy to summoning.

A truly bizarre and in-depth book, published in the 1920's.

Thanks for reading and apologies if this post offends you .

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Thanks for reading and please share and comment!

The Art of J.R.R Tolkien - The Hobbit and more (An Antique Books Guide)

The Art of Tolkien

J.R.R Tolkien is best known for his world-famous fantasy world - Middle Earth. His 'big four' books (The Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings trilogy) have sold more than 250 million copies combined, making him one of the most popular authors the world has ever seen.

Sadly, this popularity has overshadowed a skill that few people know of - his skill as an artist.
J.R.R Tolkien in fact illustrated The Hobbit and created the now iconic dust-jacket design as well as the numerous maps and designs that go with the series.

Below I have collected a range of images from his books (all from my own collection) in the hope that I can enlighten just a few people to the skills of this multi-talented legend.

The Iconic Hobbit Dust-jacket

This famous design was first used in 1937 when the book was originally released and has been used for many different editions and is still being used to this day. The simple colours reflected the cost of print in the 1930's, meaning that the more colours, the more expensive the printing costs.

And yet that is what makes the design so striking, for it simple shows the misty-mountains and sweeping forest that many associate with the world of Middle-Earth.

The Map of Middle Earth

Another fairly renowned illustration of Tolkien's is the map of Middle Earth which features all of the assets of modern fantasy including mountains, a compass and a dragon as well as mysterious names like 'The Misty Mountains'.

This is true fantasy gold.

Hobbiton-across-the-water

This plate is the original frontispeice of early editions of The Hobbit and is still used today. This single scene effectively summarises the peace and tranquility of the Shire. Reminiscent of the English countryside where Tolkien found influence, this illustration is one of his brightest and is a true joy to behold.

If one example of Tolkien's artistic prowess were to be called for, this would be it.

Various Other scenes from The Hobbit:

These four illustrations all show various aspects of Tolkien's skill. The Rivendell scene is reminiscent of the Hobbiton-across-the-water scene but with the sculptured and rather fantastic mountain faces added.

The eagle scene is perhaps the most unique of the illustrations found in The Hobbit for it's harsh, bright colours and angry Eagle focus. Yet as ever the mountains are in the background and firmly place this scene in Middle Earth.

The Smaug scene below is another classic and was in fact used in a modern edition for the cover design. Here is anther unique illustration for its childish simplicity and bright colours.

And lastly the black and white illustration of Bilbo's Hobbit-hole. This is the last illustration in the book and firmly closes the tale to the reader by entering into the Hobbit's domain. The glimpse of Middle Earth outside of the hobbit-hole reminds us of the journey that has been and gone and makes this one of Tolkien's cleverest illustrations.

The 'secret' illustrations

Included in the 1987 edition of The Hobbit were a few extra illustrations collected by Tolkien's son. These are all line-drawings and far more simple than the colourful plates previously noted. Yet they strike to the bare bones of his fantastic creation more effectively and are very interesting for the advanced reader.

The Map

Tolkien was adept too at map-drawing and quite convincingly created the contour-map for Middle Earth. Below is a zoomed-in section just to show the exacting measures he applied to all of his work.

Mr Bliss

This more recent book was only published in the early 1980's and was published on the merit of Tolkien's illustration alone, from an original manuscript discovered by Christoper Tolkien. Tolkien left a mighty collection of background information and scene-setting regarding Middle-Earth, enough to create a ten-book series in fact as his son actually did. However, this charming tale is more important to this post for its artistic value.

Charming and nostalgic.

And that brings this post to an end.
I hope that I managed to impress upon you at least a little of Tolkien's skill as an artist and if you ever read The Hobbit again, maybe take a moment to appreciate the illustrations as well aa the story.

Thanks for reading and as ever please share and comment if possible!

Top Ten Alice In Wonderland - The Most Popular Editions (An Antique Books Guide)

Alice in Wonderland

This story has captivated audiences the world overs, spawned numerous films and is still in print today, nearly one-hundred and fifty after first being published.

Hundreds of artists, illustrators and publishers have taken on this iconic tale of youth, disobedience and nonsense but only a few have made this list of the most important editions ever published.

Among the top ten expect to see famous Golden Age illustrators, beautiful covers and huge variation as I guide you, the reader, through the very best of Alice.

10.  Backhouse edition

Illustrated by the creative G.W Backhouse, this edition is 1940's gold with bold black and white illustrations interspersed between the large and vivid colour ones.

Look out for: The story-boars style illustrations are cartoon-esque and very inventive for a children's book.

9. Humphrey Milford edition

This particular edition is quite difficult to write about as the illustrator is not listed.

The stunning cover decorations straight out of the art-deco 1920's and the sombre illustrations akin to Arthur Rackham allow this edition to hit the number nine spot.

Look out for: The highly decorative covers

8. Gwynedd M. Hudson edition

Illustrations don't get any more vintage than these - delightfully toned down to reflect a more grown up interpretation of Alice. The presentation of this edition is remarkable with Hudson's flair running from the half title page to the very end.

Look out for: The fashionable outfits given to Alice by Hudson are immaculately imagined.

7. Tenniel 'Children's Edition' 

This art-deco edition ran from the late 1920's through to 1978 which is testament not only to the popularity of the book but to the appeal of this edition. With bold art-deco covers and the traditional illustrations by the famed Sir John Tenniel, this edition is delightfully charming throughout.

Look out for: Tenniel's rare colour plates

6. Margaret Tarrant edition

The Tarrant illustrated edition is, in its original form, the most Art-Deco and probably most appropriate of the Alice's listed here. By this I mean that from the covers to the charming period illustrations this edition is exactly what most imagine Alice to be like.

Look out for: The famous colour cover plate perfectly captures one of Alice in Wonderland's memorable scenes.

5. Harry Rountree edition

This rare 1900-1920 edition is not quite as artistically lavish as some of the other editions in this list. What it does have however are illustrations by the famed Harry Rountree who is known for his warm style and especially for his work on Alice.

A classic Alice in Wonderland.

Look out for: The subtle art-deco influence on the covers

4. Rene Cloke edition

This is one of the most common of the vintage Alice's and is remarkable for the level and style of the illustrations. Rene Cloke's edition is a little late for the Art-Deco that seems to influence many other editions in this top ten and so the illustrations and style are a little more creative, a little more varied whilst still relying on bold designs and straight lines.

Look out for: The bold black and uni-colour illustrations between the colour plates are quite simply excellent.

3. Harry Rountree elusive edition

The rating of this edition is solely due to personal favour - I find this one of the most unique editions of Alice out there.

This rare edition comes around for sale online once in a blue moon and always sells well. The decorative boards show the age of this volume and are more highly decorated than any other edition.

Whilst the illustrations are Rountree again, here also features a number of in-text illustrations, making this a rare and well-presented edition.

Look out for: The fantastic reason are partly to blame for the high prices this book achieves.

2. Arthur Rackham's Alice

This is one of the most collected of the Alice's and quite rightly so for the famed Golden Age illustrator Arthur Rackham lent his hand to the story and created a visceral and moody take on the tale.

This edition is the first (1907) and is valued by collector's as one of Rackham;s best works.

Look out for: The frontispiece of Alice is a perfect example of Art-Nouveau illustration and exhibit's Rackhams tone at its best.

Joint 1st: The People's Edition

This edition is truly iconic.

Featuring green covers with a bold red print of Alice among playing cards and with the original John Tenniel illustrations, this Victorian edition was very bold for the era and is one of the first popular editions of this book. This edition is published by the original publishers who printed the first edition of Alice not twenty years before, making this one of the most authentic editions and more than deserving of first place in this count.

The copy pictured below is the joint edition which features 'Alice in Wonderland' and 'Through the Looking Glass'

Look out for: The bold, Victorian covers and original Tenniel illustrations

Join 1st: The Tenniel Colour Illustrated edition

It was too difficult to choose first place in this top ten and so this John Tenniel edition is joined with another John Tenniel edition.

This edition was printed from 1911 onwards and features all of the original black and white illustrations that made Alice in Wonderland so remarkable among children's books and also a good number of colour plates too.

Importantly, the 1911 first edition was the first time these colour plates were printed and the colour is quite different from later editions, making this edition hugely important in terms of Alice history.

With the icon of the white rabbit on the front cover and a great quality shown throughout, this is the definitive edition of Alice in Wonderland and is my first place edition.

Look out for: The remarkable colour illustrations first seen in this edition and the iconic gold rabbit motif on the front cover. The epitome of Alice in Wonderland.

Thanks for reading. I hope you agree that Alice in Wonderland has been marvelously represented by illustrators from around the world and I have only been able to show those that I have been lucky enough to have owned.

As ever all photography is my own and i'm always open to offer advice if you have any questions.

Please share/ comment - I would love for more people to see this one.

Chris