Thornton Butterworth, 1924.

First edition. Large 4to. Pale tan coloured cloth with gilt lettering and vignettes. In the original pictorial dustwrapper, with original printed price of 15 shillings net. The "this belongs to" box has been completed by Horace Knowles with his wife's name, Laurie M. Knowles, 1925 and loosely inserted is a Christmas card, with Knowles's design in colour to the upper cover and the hand written dedication, "Horace to Laurie darling xxx for the Very Happiest Christmas." Pictorial endpapers and line drawings on each of the 92 pages. There are six full page colour plates which are detailed and have an Art Nouveau feel to them. A very good example of this rare fairy book, occasional light foxing. The dustwrapper is in near very good condition with a couple of shallow chips.

This book is Knowles's undoubted tour de force. The text is presented in a decorative calligraphic style, each word carefully hand drawn by Knowles and in some cases fairy folk and elfin messengers intermingle with the text. There are delicate line drawings of ethereal fairies, leaves floating across pages, gossamer cobwebs hang on the page to provide fairy beds, all combining to make the reader feel as though their eyes have been rubbed with fairy magic. Chapter headings such as "The Way to Fairyland", "The Home of Fairy Babies" and " How Fairy Rings Are Made" hint at the magical journey the reader will make. Knowles's drawings make frequent use of dashed lines giving a wonderful feeling of movement to the fairyland scenes. His figures are dressed in luxuriously patterned fabrics and coloured harlequins and the borders are frequently decorated with Art Nouveau style trees and figures.
Reginald L. Knowles had designed covers and title pages for Dent's Every Man Library series and had used his contacts there to implore Dent to consider publishing Horace's future work on the back of Peeps Into Fairyland. Following its publication in November 1924, Reginald wrote to Dent:
"[14 Dec. 1924] I thought you would like to look through... my brother's new book. It is rather unique in that he has both written & illustrated it, & drawn every scrap of it even to the printer's mark at end... & there is not an atom of type used anywhere. I should like to hear what you think of it...."; and "[16 Dec.]... I was sure you would like the book. You say you could tell him some things he wants & I should like him to come along to see you with some of his actual drawings. He is too good an artist & too wise a man to wish to neglect any opportunity that would help him towards perfecting his work...."

PROVENANCE: From the collection of the artist Horace J. Knowles, thence family descent.

Stock ID: 32907

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