2005 Charles van Sandwyk First Edition - Sketches from the Dream Island of Birds
An enchanting van Sandwyk dreamscape, alive with birds, fishes, calligraphy, and the quiet magic of handmade-looking book art.
Author: Charles van Sandwyk.
Title: Sketches from the Dream Island of Birds.
Publisher: Vancouver, Charles van Sandwyk, 2005. First Edition. Offset printed in 2000 copies.
Language: Text in English.
Size: 10" x 8.5".
Pages: Unpaginated.
Binding: Near fine to fine original illustrated boards. A beautiful production with metallic-toned covers, black and gilt-style lettering, richly decorated birds, and an inset colour illustration to the front board. Protected in a removable mylar cover.
Content: Near fine to fine content. Pages are clean, bright, and fresh throughout, with the delicate colours and textured papers beautifully preserved.
Illustrations: Profusely illustrated throughout by Charles van Sandwyk with full-page and double-page colour illustrations, decorative endpapers, calligraphic text, ornamental borders, and a folding colour panorama of the Dream Island. Complete.
Estimate: USD $250-$350.
The book: Sketches from the Dream Island of Birds is one of Charles van Sandwyk’s most dreamlike and imaginative productions, presented as a sketchbook that has travelled through a dream and returned “with many tales to tell.” The book blends fantasy, natural history, poetry, and visual storytelling into a richly atmospheric island voyage populated by birds, fishes, strange creatures, and gentle marvels. Its metallic covers, coloured papers, calligraphy, and layered illustrations give the whole work the feeling of an artist’s private dream journal.
The author and illustrator: Charles van Sandwyk is a celebrated Canadian artist, illustrator, calligrapher, and bookmaker, admired for his whimsical animal worlds, exquisite hand-drawn lettering, and small-press productions. His books have developed a devoted international following, especially among collectors of fine illustrated books, private press works, and contemporary fairy-tale art.