Books

First edition, first impression, of the author's debut, signed by her on the title page. Ireland's folklore and mythology inspired Colquhoun's art, writing, and mystic pursuits; this book comprises sketches of the landscape and people that she loved dearly. Colquhoun (1906-1988) was a celebrated artist and occultist who was expelled from the English Surrealist Group for refusing to abandon her occult research. Recent years have seen a resurgence in critical interest in her work, and she "is becoming recognized as one of the most interesting and prolific esoteric thinkers and artists of the twentieth century" (Hale). Colquhoun had Irish heritage and was fascinated with Celtic tradition and literature. She visited Ireland on multiple occasions, including attending the Yeats Summer School in Sligo at least five times. Octavo. Original green cloth, spine lettered in gilt. With illustrated dust jacket by Colquhoun. Frontispiece, 2 photographic plates, and line drawings after illustrations by the author in the text. Spine lightly sunned, edges rubbed, text block a little foxed; unclipped jacket rubbed and nicked, slight loss to ends of spine panel, corners chipped: a very good copy in like jacket. Amy Hale, Ithell Colquhoun: Genius of The Fern Loved Gully, 2020.