1936 Rare Book - The Enchanted Forest by Ida Rentoul Outhwaite
Author: Ida Rentoul Outhwaite and Grenbry Outhwaite.
Title: The Enchanted Forest.
Publisher: London: A. & C. Black, Ltd., 1936. Third printing.
Language: Text in English.
Size: 10.25" x 8".
Pages: viii-93 pages + publisher's add.
Binding: Attractive and very good, near fine, publisher’s original pale grey cloth binding with green pictorial panel to upper cover and green lettering to spine (hinges fine, overall slightly worn and scuffed - as shown) under a protective removable mylar cover.
Content: Very good, near fine, content (bright, tight and clean, rare light toning - as shown, exceptionally clean and bright throughout). With beautifully preserved illustrated endpapers featuring a fairy and child in delicate line art.
Illustrations: Illustrated throughout by Ida Rentoul Outhwaite with 16 exquisite tipped-in colour plates and 15 black-and-white line drawings. All plates are present.
Estimate: (USD 400– 500).
The book: A beautiful 1936 third printing of The Enchanted Forest, one of Ida Rentoul Outhwaite’s most beloved fairy books, originally issued in 1921. Outhwaite’s ethereal fairies—graceful, luminous, and deeply imaginative—define the golden age of Australian book illustration. The story follows the adventures of Anne and her elfin companion Potty in a forest alive with wonder, kindness, and mischief. The combination of Grenbry Outhwaite’s text and Ida’s magical imagery creates an enchanting world that captures both innocence and adventure. This edition, printed on fine coated paper by Billing and Sons, preserves the delicate charm and superb quality characteristic of A. & C. Black’s illustrated gift books.
The author: Ida Rentoul Outhwaite (1888–1960) was Australia’s most celebrated fairy illustrator. Her delicate pen work and softly coloured fairy paintings became synonymous with early 20th-century fantasy art, earning her international acclaim. In collaboration with her husband Grenbry Outhwaite, she produced classics such as Fairyland and The Little Green Road to Fairyland, blending lyrical storytelling with visual enchantment.
The illustrator: Outhwaite’s illustrations evoke the spirit of childhood and the natural world, combining Pre-Raphaelite grace with Art Nouveau fluidity. Her work is revered among collectors for its exceptional draughtsmanship, subtle palette, and emotional depth—qualities beautifully showcased in The Enchanted Forest, one of her most refined achievements.