Original watercolor illustrations by Margaret Ross, accompanied by her own copy of the book, gifted and inscribed many years later.
Very good plus overall.
Price: $2,500.00
"Margaret Ross has that rare gift of combining amusing story-telling with pleasing illustrations, a delightful imagination with meticulous attention to detail." – Brandler Galleries
Recalling the domestic nostalgia and animal characters of both Beatrix Potter and Kenneth Grahame, the lively illustrations of Margaret Ross offered entertainment and comfort to children in World War II England. Though artistic supplies and book production were restricted by wartime scarcity, "a few enterprising publishers set out to give the public reasonably priced but well-designed books" such as MR. BADGER'S SUCCESSFUL PLAN (Brandler Galleries).
This copy includes not only the original illustrations used for the publication, but also the letter from the publisher noting their return to Ross and two later typewritten notes by her. Perhaps due to the fragility of wartime book materials, Ross's works are quite scarce on the market and institutionally today. The survival of the original watercolors for this title give an idea of the successes and limitations of translating them into print.
Read more: Brandler Galleries, "Margaret Ross."
n.p. n.p, [no later than 1945]. Approx. 8.5'' x 11'' (watercolors); 7'' x 5.5'' (personal correspondence); 9'' x 7.5'' (letterhead correspondence); 8.5'' x 11'' (book). Thirteen unbound watercolor leaves by Ross. Two typewritten leaves with pen corrections and sketches by Ross. One typewritten leaf on Museum Press letterhead, with note by Ross to verso. Copy of book in blue cloth with gilt lettering and decoration. 13 full-page illustrations, with small pink in-text illustrations. 48 pages. Inscribed by Ross "My dear / With love for Christmas / Margaret Ross/ (I was 30 years too late!) / The last copy please forgive" on front fly leaf; author's previous owner name and address crossed out in ink used in inscription. With fragments of original dust jacket. Book with some wear and sunning to edges, corners and spine ends bumped. Some wrinkling to margins of leaves. Watercolors with mild edgewear, some with contemporary pinprick holes to corners. A terrific assemblage.
We work hard to meet our ethical responsibility to describe our material accurately. All items are guaranteed as described and may be returned for any reason within 30 days. Please notify us before mailing a return.
We guarantee the authenticity of our items. All materials are original (meaning not facsimiles or reproductions) unless otherwise noted. First editions (meaning first edition, first printing) are explicitly stated. TPM is a member of the Antiquarian Booksellers Association of America and upholds their Code of Ethics.
All photographs are of the actual item for sale. We're happy to provide additional images on request.
All domestic orders ship gratis. For orders under $250, free USPS media mail shipping is included; orders $250 and over ship USPS Priority. International orders over $500 also ship gratis. Expedited, overnight, as well as other carriers (UPS, Fed-Ex, etc.), may carry additional costs beyond quoted rates. All orders receive tracking information and a direct contact in case of any questions.
International buyers are responsible for any customs, taxes, and related import fees. Please note that we are unable to accomodate requests to misrepresent, misdeclare, or otherwise falsify customs documents when shipping internationally. We appreciate your understanding.
We accept all major credit cards, Paypal, Venmo, check, money order, and bank wire. We are happy to bill institutional buyers' needs. Sales tax will be added to applicable purchases. Items subject to prior sale.
If for any reason you are dissatisfied with your purchase, please contact us. We prioritize our long-term relationships far above any individual purchase, and we want you to love your item as much as we loved cataloguing it.
Type Punch Matrix is a rare book firm founded by Rebecca Romney and Brian Cassidy.
Read more about TPM.
