YEATS, Jack B.

Inquire · Offered by Peter Harrington

The Treasure of the Garden. First edition, first impression, one of a small number of hand-coloured copies. Although the front cover notes that the book is "coloured by the author", it is more frequently encountered without watercolour added to the plates and front cover by Jack B. Yeats. Hand-coloured copies originally sold at 5s. (and uncoloured copies at 2s. 6d.)The publishing agreement for this title was signed on 17 September 1902 (Nelson, p. 189). This title was "among Mathews' most notable books for children" (Nelson, p. 21). 200 copies were printed of which only 165 were for sale (Nelson, p. 213)."Here we have no mere jejune text, but also the characters and the scenery painted unstintingly by the author, and all ready to be gummed on cardboard and strut and fret their five minutes on the toy stage. As Stevenson, were he now living, would probably cut his work in order to produce this drama if it reached him in working hours, the rest of us need take no shame to ourselves for the same inclination, for about ten shillings - a stage costs five shillings - the least among us may now explore the sensations of theatrical management - a happiness for which far higher prices have been paid by many famous lessees of Covent Garden and Drury Lane" (The Manchester Guardian)

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