2005 Scarce Literary Companions- 6 bookplates 2 bookmarks by Charles van Sandwyk
A very scarce and beautifully preserved 2005 collection of six illustrated bookplates and two bookmarks by Charles van Sandwyk, complete in its original pictorial envelope and accompanied by the artist’s personally signed explanatory letter.
Author: Charles van Sandwyk.
Title: Charles van Sandwyk’s Literary Companions: 6 Bookplates & 2 Bookmarks, All of the Finest Quality.
Publisher: Vancouver: Intelligent Ink, 2005.
Edition: Original 2005 edition. Very scarce, complete and signed.
Language: English.
Pages: Six bookplates, two bookmarks and one explanatory letter, housed in the original illustrated envelope.
Size: 7 x 5 inches (envelope).
Binding: Fine original tan paper envelope, beautifully decorated with Charles van Sandwyk’s characteristic calligraphy, ornamental feathers and whimsical illustrations. The front features a mounted colour illustration of a thoughtful lion reading a book, framed by intricate decorative borders. The envelope and its original folding flap are exceptionally well preserved. Protected in a removable mylar cover.
Content: Fine, complete and beautifully preserved, with all six original bookplates, both bookmarks and the accompanying Fellow Readers explanatory letter. The letter is personally signed by Charles van Sandwyk at the bottom, as shown. All components are clean, fresh and in excellent condition, with their original colours beautifully preserved.
Illustrations: Six charmingly illustrated Ex Libris bookplates featuring van Sandwyk’s imaginative animal characters, including a contemplative lion, a wise owl and a monkey examining a skull. Two additional bookmarks, mounted on deep red cardstock, depict an ibis and a secretary bird, each endowed with an amusingly distinguished personality. The original envelope is decorated with a mounted illustration of the literary lion.
Estimate: $450–500 USD.
The collection:
Published in 2005 by Intelligent Ink, Charles van Sandwyk’s Literary Companions is a delightful and very scarce collection of illustrated bookplates and bookmarks, conceived as a tribute to the pleasures of reading and the intimate relationship between books and their owners. Presented in an exquisitely decorated paper envelope, the set brings together six Ex Libris bookplates and two bookmarks, each featuring one of the artist’s wonderfully eccentric animal characters. A scholarly lion, a philosophical monkey, a contemplative owl and other curious creatures inhabit this miniature literary world, while the two elegant birds stand ready to guard the reader’s place between the pages.
Particularly appealing is the accompanying Fellow Readers letter, personally signed by Charles van Sandwyk, in which the artist explains the inspiration behind his creations and offers suggestions for personalizing and using them. With his characteristic warmth and gentle humour, he imagines the animal kingdom enthusiastically supporting the advancement of the human mind through literature. The original 2005 collection was issued with different envelope illustrations, including the literary lion featured here and an archer mouse. This complete, signed example, preserved in fine condition with all its original components, is a particularly desirable and scarce piece of van Sandwyk ephemera and a wonderful addition to a collection devoted to the artist, illustrated literature or the art of the bookplate.
The artist:
Charles van Sandwyk (born 1966) is a celebrated Canadian artist, illustrator and author whose enchanting work draws inspiration from the natural world, classical book illustration and the traditions of fine printing. Born in South Africa and raised in Canada, he developed a distinctive artistic language combining delicate pen-and-ink drawings, richly coloured illustrations, elegant calligraphy and a delightfully eccentric imagination. His beautifully crafted publications, prints and illustrated books have attracted a devoted international following, particularly among collectors of fine illustrated literature.
His work often explores the wonderful possibilities of a world in which animals possess the wisdom, habits and peculiarities of human beings. Whether illustrating the adventures of Kenneth Grahame’s The Wind in the Willows for the Folio Society or creating his own imaginative publications, van Sandwyk brings extraordinary personality to even the smallest details. Literary Companions perfectly embodies this sensibility, transforming the humble bookplate and bookmark into miniature works of art that celebrate the enduring companionship of books.