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To see current stock of Fairy Books Click Here
Fairies
Fairies are something that have fascinated generations
of people from all walks of life. What though, are the origins
of the 'Fairy'?
These
mythical beings were first made popular through the superstitions
and tales of old folk lore. Fairies were used to represent
powerful natural forces and were even believed to have 
control
over the fertility of the land and those that lived on it.
For many people Fairies are small beautiful, sprightly,
feminine creatures with wings. For others the realm of the
fairy is much more diversified and can include elves, pixies, leprechauns and trolls; indeed any magical creature that
doesn't live by human rules!
During the 16th and 17th centuries, through the writings of those such as Shakespeare, different portrayals of Fairies began to emerge. Although still influenced by the old folk legend, Shakespeare appeared to create new facets in the fairy world. In a Midsummer Night's Dream, he interwove Fairies with the human story. Through the meddling of some of these Fairies and other creatures, such as Titania, Oberon and Puck, three stories came together to create this beautiful, comic fantasy.
For the majority of us though, our first encounter with fairies
is through fairy tales and stories, such as Peter Pan, that
are read to us as a child. The image of Tinkerbell and the
whole concept of Neverland can be enough to awaken any child's
imagination. What child, with help from a little Fairy dust,
wouldn't love to fly off to magical adventures in Neverland?
And what book about Fairies would be complete
without its colourful Fairy illustrations? Many book illustrators
have become most famous for their depictions of Fairies, two
in particular are Cicely Mary Barker and Margaret Tarrant.
Both lived during the same era, when the increase in technology
seemed to create a desire in the people for the Fairy - something
mythical and beautiful. And both captured the essence of beauty
of not only the Fairy, but also of children and flowers. In
each of Cicely Mary Barker's flower fairy pictures you can
see how carefully each child and flower was chosen and how
their characteristics are so well suited to each other.
Foremost among other artists who have illustrated their interpretation of the Fairy are Arthur Rackham and Edmund Dulac, although theirs may not always be the light, angelic images that, for many, have become stereotypical. In the same vein are the illustrations found in "Lady Cottington's Pressed Fairy Book". Angelica Cottington was the young girl whose photograph with the Fairies first appeared in the early 1900's, dismissed by many as a hoax, but welcomed by others as authentic. After her death, or so the story goes, her unique book was discovered. Dedicated to Fairies and in diary format, it contains all Lady Cottington's "sightings of Fairies and pressings of them", again giving quite a different and sometimes disturbing image of Fairies.
More recently, it is not just books and illustrations of Fairies, but collecting Fairy ephemera has also become popular. Many have statues and fairy features in their gardens or little figurines decorating the mantelpiece. Other people collect jewellery ranges especially designed to incorporate the elegance and sparkle of the Fairy. There is such a range of ephemera now, that there is something for everyone to enjoy, but for me, it is still the classic children's books and range of enchanting illustrations that I find most appealing.
To conclude here is one of my favourite quotes about fairies,
from a version of J.M Barrie's Peter Pan. Wendy has returned
from Neverland, and she is educating her mother about Fairies.
'I thought all the Fairies were dead' said Mrs. Darling
'Oh, no!' said Wendy, who knew a lot about Fairies now.
'When a new baby laughs for the first time, a new fairy
is born too. So as long as there are new babies, there are
new fairies.'
Contributed by Joanne Hill
If you enjoyed this then why not look at our other articles.
A selection of Fairy books in stock
Wynne, May. No illustrator listed. Stock no. 1701636
Mellifont Press Limited. Very good condition. Paperwraps. B/w illustrations. Some browning, foxing and creasing. [S]
Price: £8.00
No author listed. No illustrator listed. Stock no. 1302300
B.B. Ltd.. Very good condition. Peter and Pam felt tired and so into the land of Nod they go... Blue pictorial cardwraps. Full-page colour and b/w text illustrations. Staples rusty causing marks to inner margins and to spine edges. [R]
Price: £5.00
No author listed. Illustrated by E.V.A., . Stock no. 1302273
B.B. Ltd.. Very good condition. Green pictorial cardwraps. Full-page colour and b/w text illustrations. Staples rusty and some light fingering else contents clean. Some light wear to cover edges. [R]
Price: £6.00
No author listed. Illustrated by Perrin, Yvonne. Stock no. 1302272
Birn Brothers Ltd.. Very good condition. Pictorial paperwraps. Bright colour pictures of elves, pixies and their friends. Slight rubbing to cover edges. A tiny nick to page edges and staples rusty else clean. [R]
Price: £6.50
No author listed. Illustrated by Barker, Cicely Mary. Stock no. 1302194
Frederick Warne. 1st. 1991. Fine condition. Oblong format. Card wraps. 30 beautiful postcards with perforated edge for easy removal. Complete and unused. [R] 0723237107.
Price: £10.00
Lemon, Mark. Illustrated by Green, Charles. Stock no. 1701552
John Slark. Circa. 1869. Almost very good condition. Red cloth with gilt and black titles and decorations. B/w illustrations. Top of spine chipped, corners bumped. Name in ink to front endpaper. Some foxing. Prelims starting to detach from binding. [S]
Price: £80.00
View all current stock of Fairy books
