139
138 WAIN, Louis. Three cats. [c.1910] Original watercolour
137
An instantly recognisable example of the work of Louis Wain showing three cheeky cats, of which the one at the centre is both winking and sticking out its tongue. For the artist, see item 134. Original drawing (105 × 285 mm) on artist’s board (210 × 335 mm), watercolour and gouache, signed (“Louis Wain”) lower left, mounted, framed, and glazed (framed size 305 × 464 mm). Some consistent toning, signature slightly faded; a fine and vibrant drawing. £6,000 [154998] 139 WAITE, Arthur Edward. Belle and the Dragon. An Elfin Comedy. London: James Elliott & Co., 1894 elfin comedy for children First edition, in bright condition, of this uncommonly found allegorical children’s fantasy. The work, set in the mythic land of Ravendale, features lightly disguised versions of Waite and his cohort. In “all his work Waite presented himself as a non-denominational mystic”, here named “the Mystic”, and depicted at page 95 ( ODNB ). Copies have been traced in 12 institutions worldwide. Waite’s wife, Ada, is represented as the dormouse, while her sister, and Waite’s first and true love, Dora, is featured as the heroine, Mesuline. Waite first met Dora in 1886 and the two fell almost immediately in love; however, in June 1887 she married one Reverend Granville Stuart-Menteath. In January 1888 Waite in turn married her sister Ada. Dora and Waite remained close despite their marriages and the two families lived near one another in Gunnersbury. Stuart-Menteath’s
137 WAIN, Louis. “Come to me Birdie”. [c.1910] Original artwork
139
on the sheet music, held by the central cat, as “Come to me Birdie”. For the artist, see item 134. Original drawing (122 × 188 mm) on paper (136 × 209 mm), laid down on board, watercolour and gouache, signed (“Louis Wain”) lower left, mounted, framed, and glazed (framed size 306 × 361 mm). Some light toning below mount; signature slightly faint; fine and bright. £8,750 [154992]
sister, Evelyn, was also a close friend of Waite’s and provided the striking illustrations for this work and several others of his. Waite has written her into this fairy tale as the titular dragon character. A. E. Waite (1857–1942) was a poet and historian of occultism who “brought order out of the chaos of the occult revival and enabled the study of both the history and content of ‘rejected knowledge’ to become academically acceptable” (ibid.). Alongside his academic studies Waite wrote several collections of fantastical poetry with the 1890s being his “most prolific decade with ten books, fifteen works edited or translated, and the first independent journal in this field, the Unknown World , to his credit” (ibid.). He is best known now for his pictorial tarot deck, designed in 1910 with fellow author and spiritualist Pamela Colman Smith. Quarto. Original dark green cloth, spine lettered in gilt, detailed fairy and spider’s web illustration incorporating titles in silver to front cover, plain endpapers, top edge gilt, others untrimmed, a couple of leaves unopened. Frontispiece, illustrated title page, and 36 illustrations in the text. Minor rubbing to spine ends and board edges, slight bump to bottom tip of front board, faint browning to endleaves, very occasional ink smudges from printing process to margins; a very good, attractive copy, the illustrations clean and crisp. £1,500 [141596]
A fine and humorous example of a Louis Wain cat drawing. Three cats, with wide mouths and sparkling eyes, are relishing a song they are singing. The title of the song is displayed
138
All items are fully described and photographed at peterharrington.co.uk
CHILDREN’S BOOKS & ORIGINAL ARTWORK
94
95
Made with FlippingBook Online newsletter maker