1920 Scarce First Edition - The Password to Fairyland by Florence Mary Anderson

Author: Southwart, Elizabeth. Illustrated by Florence Mary Anderson.
Title: The Password to Fairyland.
Publisher: London, Simpkin, Marshall, Hamilton, Kent & Co., Ltd., circa 1920. First Edition.
Language: Text in English.
Size: 10 x 7.5 inches.
Pages: 186 pages.
Binding: Attractive and very good, near fine, handsome half green morocco binding over marbled boards, gilt-decorated spine with raised bands (hinges fine, spine slightly sunned - as shown) under a protective removable mylar cover.
Content: Good to very good content (bright, tight, some foxing throughout - as shown).
Illustrations: Profusely illustrated with delicate black and white drawings and several charming colour plates by Florence Mary Anderson, all present and evocative of early twentieth-century fairy illustration.

Estimate: (USD 400–450).

The book: A scarce first edition of this enchanting Edwardian fairy tale, following young Elaine as she is drawn from the everyday world into the hidden realms of Fairyland, where she encounters whimsical beings, trials of courage, and lessons of kindness and imagination. The narrative blends gentle moral themes with dreamlike adventures, creating a bridge between childhood reality and the magical unseen world.

The author: Elizabeth Southwart was an early twentieth-century writer of juvenile fantasy, contributing to the flourishing tradition of British fairy literature that sought to combine moral storytelling with imaginative escapism for young readers.

The illustrators: Florence Mary Anderson was a gifted illustrator associated with the golden age of fairy book art, her work characterized by graceful line drawings and soft, lyrical colour plates that capture the delicate, otherworldly charm of fairyland and align her stylistically with contemporaries of the post-Victorian fantasy tradition.