BOUND IN JESSIE M KING’S BATIK SILK: Pet Marjorie: A Story of Child Life Fifty Years Ago

Rare book binding displaying Jessie M King’s blue and green paisley pattern batik silk. One of the most influential artists of her time, King (1875-1949) introduced the wax-dye technique of batik into Scotland, and though she has become most celebrated for her illustration work King also created jewellery, ceramics and, as here, fabric.

King’s wraparound batik has been overprinted with the book’s title in a gilt panel to the upper board with an outer panel in dark blue around the edge of the board. A little fading to the silk over the spine. Watermarked grey thick paper endpapers, all edges gilt, silk book mark. 52 pages and four coloured illustrations from watercolours by H C Preston MacGoun. The terminal advertisement informs the reader that the standard edition of this book cost sixpence; this edition ‘Bound in silk with marker’ was two and six. An old bookseller’s description laid in states that Jessie M King ‘produced various batik silks for Foulis’ Friendship, Dr John Brown and Rose of Sharon Booklets as a variant. Identified by copies seen in Sotheby’s Jessie King Sale, 1977. Other designs have been found on books published by Harrap.’