Books Illustrated LtdThe Fine Art of Illustration
Hilary Emeny Mike Emeny
Introduction
Welcome to the Books Illustrated web site. We hope that you will find this site easy to use, informative and a lot of fun. We have been working in this line of business for many years now and believe that our success has come about because we enjoy talking with people, absolutely love the industry and have a depth of expertise that has been built on our passion for what we do and the willingness of collectors to share their knowledge with us. So please get in touch; let us know your thoughts about the site and tell your friends!
Below is an article on collecting as well as the answers to some frequently asked questions (FAQs).
Enjoy!
Why collect Illustrations?
We have all found ourselves spell bound by a tale at some time in our lives, whether as a child reading Thomas the Tank Engine, a young adult reading Macbeth, or an adult reading The Da Vinci Code. Reading is an essential skill we all have to master if we wish to succeed in what we call everyday life. But reading is much more; it lets us explore the lives of others, their trials and adventures, defeats and triumphs. We can learn as well as be entertained. Children's books are especially adept at achieving this and many can be read time and time again by anyone. A good story can be read and enjoyed at any age. I remember travelling on the train to Waterloo and noticed on the seat in front of me a copy of JK Rowlings Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. I tried to guess the age and identity of the reader and was not at all surprised to see that it belonged to a lady of some 70 years or more who, like millions of people around the globe, was enthralled. The tales and images of the illustrations are burned into our minds. We enjoy the moments when we are reminded of them. Filmmakers, therefore, go to great lengths to ensure that the imagery they create reflects what we have all come to expect from the book. A great example is Peter Jackson's visionary The Lord of the Rings recreation of 'Middle Earth'. To ignore it would have been perilous.
It is therefore not at all surprising that many people have turned to collecting original works by the artists that have illustrated those inspiring books. Books like Alice in Wonderland, Wind in the Willows, Peter Pan and Winnie-the-Pooh are all children's classics and are rightly much sought after along with many others. Also, books by Arthur Rackham, Edmund Dulac, EH Shepard, William Heath Robinson and such classic illustrators appeal to many people because of their imaginative visual storytelling.
Their illustrations tempt us to believe that 1900 through 1930 was the golden age of illustration but I feel this is an overstatement. You only need to take a trip around a high street bookshop and see some of the illustrative excellence that is currently available. The list of great modern illustrators such as Quentin Blake, Ronald Searle, Lesley Ann Ivory are constantly being added to by the likes of Rui Paes (Madonna's book Lotsa da Casha), Peter Malone (The Possibility of Angels) and David Wyatt (Peter Pan in Scarlet) to name a few. See our ‘News’ section for the latest updates.
Owning an original published illustration is very satisfying. Compared to some works by established artists they can be acquired at reasonable prices. An average watercolour of, say, a 'country scene', may cost many thousands of pounds, whilst many book illustrations retail for just a few hundred pounds. It is always enjoyable to know that the art hanging on your wall is familiar to thousands of people around the world. Illustration can be hung anywhere, even the nursery. It is one investment that a child can enjoy without destroying its value through the addition of its own artistic talents, or wanton destruction, as so often occurs with books! These are investments that will inspire and delight.
FAQs
What can I find on this site?
Books Illustrated is a site that specialises in original book artwork/illustrations; our main focus is that of children's book illustrations, however there are other interests to be found. You will be able to find front cover artwork by Paul Kidby for Terry Pratchett’s Discworld books, along with many character developments in pencil that appeared in ‘The Art of Discworld’, as well as illustrations by Peter Malone for the wonderful ‘At the Opera’ by Ann Fiery published in 2005. Original artwork by the leading illustrators of the past century right to the present day can be found. These include Arthur Rackham, Edmund Dulac, Willy Pogany, Heath Robinson, Kate Greenaway, as well as present-day greats such as Peter Malone and Christian Birmingham.
Do you have a gallery?
Yes, visits to our gallery in Salisbury may be arranged by appointment. However, we are busy all year at fairs around the country; our business has been built through this website and through meeting people face to face. Please click the 'Events' button to see where we will be next. Please feel free to email your details and the fair you would like to attend and we will send you a free or reduced entry fee invitation with pleasure. We would go absolutely crazy if we spent all our time updating the website! We like to get out more.
Do you buy original artwork, books, prints and other items?
We are always looking for fine works by the leading illustrators. We do not buy books or plates from books; at this time we are also not in the market for prints, limited or not. We are sometimes interested in other related items, no matter how strange, so please send some details and photos of your items.
Do you give value estimates and advice?
Yes, but please state if you want to sell the item. There is naturally a difference between the insurance value and the price we are willing to buy at. We have to make a living and have a home to keep and a large black cat to feed! If you have other questions, we will do our very best to answer them, although it might take some research time.
Can you find specific illustrations by specific artists?
Yes. If you wish us to find an illustration from a book you have, terms like 'eye of needle' and 'camel' come to mind, however it is not impossible and we have found them in the past.
Can you invite me to fairs in my area?
Yes, please send us you postal details and we will mail them to you.
Introduction
Welcome to the Books Illustrated web site. We hope that you will find this site easy to use, informative and a lot of fun. We have been working in this line of business for many years now and believe that our success has come about because we enjoy talking with people, absolutely love the industry and have a depth of expertise that has been built on our passion for what we do and the willingness of collectors to share their knowledge with us. So please get in touch; let us know your thoughts about the site and tell your friends!
Below is an article on collecting as well as the answers to some frequently asked questions (FAQs).
Enjoy!
Why collect Illustrations?
We have all found ourselves spell bound by a tale at some time in our lives, whether as a child reading Thomas the Tank Engine, a young adult reading Macbeth, or an adult reading The Da Vinci Code. Reading is an essential skill we all have to master if we wish to succeed in what we call everyday life. But reading is much more; it lets us explore the lives of others, their trials and adventures, defeats and triumphs. We can learn as well as be entertained. Children's books are especially adept at achieving this and many can be read time and time again by anyone. A good story can be read and enjoyed at any age. I remember travelling on the train to Waterloo and noticed on the seat in front of me a copy of JK Rowlings Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. I tried to guess the age and identity of the reader and was not at all surprised to see that it belonged to a lady of some 70 years or more who, like millions of people around the globe, was enthralled. The tales and images of the illustrations are burned into our minds. We enjoy the moments when we are reminded of them. Filmmakers, therefore, go to great lengths to ensure that the imagery they create reflects what we have all come to expect from the book. A great example is Peter Jackson's visionary The Lord of the Rings recreation of 'Middle Earth'. To ignore it would have been perilous.
It is therefore not at all surprising that many people have turned to collecting original works by the artists that have illustrated those inspiring books. Books like Alice in Wonderland, Wind in the Willows, Peter Pan and Winnie-the-Pooh are all children's classics and are rightly much sought after along with many others. Also, books by Arthur Rackham, Edmund Dulac, EH Shepard, William Heath Robinson and such classic illustrators appeal to many people because of their imaginative visual storytelling.
Their illustrations tempt us to believe that 1900 through 1930 was the golden age of illustration but I feel this is an overstatement. You only need to take a trip around a high street bookshop and see some of the illustrative excellence that is currently available. The list of great modern illustrators such as Quentin Blake, Ronald Searle, Lesley Ann Ivory are constantly being added to by the likes of Rui Paes (Madonna's book Lotsa da Casha), Peter Malone (The Possibility of Angels) and David Wyatt (Peter Pan in Scarlet) to name a few. See our ‘News’ section for the latest updates.
Owning an original published illustration is very satisfying. Compared to some works by established artists they can be acquired at reasonable prices. An average watercolour of, say, a 'country scene', may cost many thousands of pounds, whilst many book illustrations retail for just a few hundred pounds. It is always enjoyable to know that the art hanging on your wall is familiar to thousands of people around the world. Illustration can be hung anywhere, even the nursery. It is one investment that a child can enjoy without destroying its value through the addition of its own artistic talents, or wanton destruction, as so often occurs with books! These are investments that will inspire and delight.
FAQs
What can I find on this site?
Books Illustrated is a site that specialises in original book artwork/illustrations; our main focus is that of children's book illustrations, however there are other interests to be found. You will be able to find front cover artwork by Paul Kidby for Terry Pratchett’s Discworld books, along with many character developments in pencil that appeared in ‘The Art of Discworld’, as well as illustrations by Peter Malone for the wonderful ‘At the Opera’ by Ann Fiery published in 2005. Original artwork by the leading illustrators of the past century right to the present day can be found. These include Arthur Rackham, Edmund Dulac, Willy Pogany, Heath Robinson, Kate Greenaway, as well as present-day greats such as Peter Malone and Christian Birmingham.
Do you have a gallery?
Yes, visits to our gallery in Salisbury may be arranged by appointment. However, we are busy all year at fairs around the country; our business has been built through this website and through meeting people face to face. Please click the 'Events' button to see where we will be next. Please feel free to email your details and the fair you would like to attend and we will send you a free or reduced entry fee invitation with pleasure. We would go absolutely crazy if we spent all our time updating the website! We like to get out more.
Do you buy original artwork, books, prints and other items?
We are always looking for fine works by the leading illustrators. We do not buy books or plates from books; at this time we are also not in the market for prints, limited or not. We are sometimes interested in other related items, no matter how strange, so please send some details and photos of your items.
Do you give value estimates and advice?
Yes, but please state if you want to sell the item. There is naturally a difference between the insurance value and the price we are willing to buy at. We have to make a living and have a home to keep and a large black cat to feed! If you have other questions, we will do our very best to answer them, although it might take some research time.
Can you find specific illustrations by specific artists?
Yes. If you wish us to find an illustration from a book you have, terms like 'eye of needle' and 'camel' come to mind, however it is not impossible and we have found them in the past.
Can you invite me to fairs in my area?
Yes, please send us you postal details and we will mail them to you.