The timeless adventures of Toad, Mole, Ratty and Badger have enchanted children and their parents for more than a century. This is a glorious edition of a children’s classic, with enchanting illustrations by Charles van Sandwyk.
Letters from Fairyland - Limited Edition
Illustrated by Charles van Sandwyk
Limited to only 250 copies
An exclusive new Folio Society limited edition, Letters from Fairyland by Charles van Sandwyk, includes a beautiful copperplate etching, signed by the author, and is limited to only 250 numbered copies.
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When you are finished with the little letters, simply tie
them in a bundle and tuck them into a tree-hollow
at the end of your garden.
They will find their way back to me
We worked closely with Charles van Sandwyk to bring you this exquisite limited edition Letters from Fairyland; a hand-numbered collector’s edition that is signed by the author. Each Folio Society limited edition is a celebration of bookmaking that involves the close collaboration of skilled craftspeople and artists. Hand-made papers and bindings, artisan printing, carefully inset labels, and specially sourced materials mean these special collector’s books can only be made in small numbers. Letters from Fairyland is no exception, and the extent of the hand-crafted detailing and unique features means that only 250 copies will ever be made. Each beautifully finished book is signed by the author, printed on fine Modigliani paper and enclosed in a stunning handmade presentation box.
Production Details
Limited to only 250 copies
Limitation spread, blocked in gold foil, with a tipped-on copperplate etching, hand-printed, signed and numbered by the artist
Bound in cloth blocked in 3 foils, with an inset label
24 pages illustrated throughout in colour, printed on Modigliani paper
Five pockets, foil blocked in gold, contain letters, a concertina and fairy money
Tipped-on leaf letter
Marcate Tintoretto endpapers blocked in gold with a spiderweb motif designed by the artist
8" × 5"
Presented in a handmade solander box 10" × 6¾" × 1", lined with paper printed with an exclusive design, with an inset label
Exquisite hand-crafted detailing
Van Sandwyk produced a beautiful copperplate etching exclusively for the limitation, which he individually hand-printed, signed and numbered, and these have been hand-tipped on to the frontispiece of each book. The limited edition also features a handmade solander box, decorated with a newly commissioned inset illustration and lined with paper featuring Charles’ design; swallows swooping as they deliver letters to and from Fairyland. These delightful letters can be opened and read when you explore inside the book, which is cloth-bound with a design blocked in three different coloured foils. Five miniature pockets, beautifully foil-blocked in gold with spiderweb motifs, have been carefully hand-placed throughout the enchanting narrative; within you will find charming correspondence, a cache of fairy money, and a fold-out concertina decorated with detailed portraits of the fairyland folk. This stunning limited edition is finished with gold-blocked endpapers that replicate the striking spiderweb design of the pockets; a final flourish that demonstrates the exceptional attention to detail in all Folio Society limited editions.
The work of a renowned artist
Charles van Sandwyk is a renowned artist, illustrator and author whose work is highly sought-after and whose paintings and sketches are collected by individuals and institutions around the world. Charles has previously illustrated a number of Folio titles, including The Wind in the Willows and the sell-out limited editions The Wind in the Willows and Alice in Wonderland. This new limited edition, with its exclusive signed copperplate etching, and additional illustrations and designs by the artist, will be treasured by collectors and cherished by fans of the nostalgic and magical worlds that Charles creates. It is an edition that will be passed down the generations.
An endearing correspondence
Many years ago, Charles van Sandwyk received a letter from a nine-year-old English girl, Miss Emma Gladstone. Emma had read some books about fairies which the artist had published and she was writing to ask his advice. She wanted to invite the fairies to come and live in her garden, but she did not know how to make contact with them. Charles replied with a series of helpful letters which he later made into a little book, printing just a handful of copies. Recently, he kindly agreed to make this unique correspondence available to Folio customers, in a new larger format, with twice the number of pages and many new illustrations.
About Charles van Sandwyk
Charles van Sandwyk was born in South Africa and raised in Canada; he taught himself calligraphy and intaglio printing as a teenager. His first self-published book appeared when he was just 20, and won a national award. Since then his work has been archived by the National Library of Canada and treasured by private collectors across the world. Van Sandwyk has written and illustrated three Folio editions: Mr Rabbit’s Symphony of Nature and Other Tails, the best-selling How to See Fairies, and Letters to Fairyland. He has also produced illustrations for a number of other Folio editions, including The Blue Fairy Book, The Wind in the Willows, and Alice in Wonderland.