A highpoint of Neo-Romantic book illustration

Stevenson, Robert Louis & Minton, John (Illus.) ~ Treasure Island

Paul Elek Publishers Ltd., London : 1947

The First UK printing of this illustrated edition published by Paul Elek Publishers Ltd., London in 1947. Large 8vo., green publisher’s cloth, ruled and titled in gilt to backstrip; together in the green publisher’s wrapper (10/6 net); vibrant full four-colour endpapers, full-page black and white frontispiece, 27 more dramatic black and white drawings in the text by John Minton. This volume is now seen as a highpoint of Neo-Romantic book illustration ; The BOOK, a fresh copy is in Very Good++ condition, with light pushing to the spine ends and a couple of dark spots to the upper text-block edge; even light toning throughout due to the cheap quality of the paper stock used ; some light spotting to the prelims; the Very Good+ WRAPPER rubbed, with a patch of sunning to the lower edge of the front panel; some small nicks and closed tears to extremities; upper edge more heavily creased, nicked, and lightly chipped, particular at head of spine and extending onto panels; with minor loss and several small tape repairs to the verso. The wrapper artwork remains striking in the removable Brodart archival cover. The wrapper front panel illustration does not appear in the text. The First edition of this title in the Camden Classics Series, with the illustrations by John Minton and introduction by H. B. Burton. The first edition of Stevenson’s Treasure Island appeared in installments in Young Folks magazine in 1881 and 1882. Since then, it has been illustrated countless times, from the first illustrated edition in 1884, through to Edmund Dulac in the 1920s and N.C. Wyeth’s famous interpretations in the 1930s. Here, the accompanying drawings have been provided by John Minton, who is best known for his illustrations, but also exhibited at the Festival of Britain and the Royal Academy, designed costumes and scenery for John Gielgud's 1942 production of Macbeth, produced textiles and wallpapers, posters for London Transport, and was highly regarded as a portrait painter. Most of Minton’s illustrations were for the publisher John Lehmann, for whom he produced Elizabeth David’s Book of Mediterranean Food and French Country Cooking. He also provided wrapper artwork for Michael Joseph, Secker and Warburg and Rupert Hart-Davis. A beautifully illustrated edition, extremely scarce in the fragile wrapper. Of note are the particularly stunning vibrant endpaper illustrations, showing scenes from the island and the pirates rowing towards it.

BINDING: Hardcover
CONDITION: Very Good++
JACKET: Very Good+