THE SHIP THAT SAILED TO MARS

London: George G. Harrap & Company, 1923. Very good.. First edition of this gorgeous outlier of the Golden Age of Illustration, a fully realized fantasy of interplanetary travel written and illustrated by South African architect William Timlin. An Old Man fulfills the dream of his youth, "sailing by way of the Moon, and the more friendly planets" on his way to the Shining City of Mars. The ship of the title, designed by the aged engineer but built by fairies, captures the tale's balance of science fiction and fantasy: one iconic plate depicts the ship, whose design hearkens back to the Age of Discovery, outrunning the magnificent flare of a meteor. The only work authored by Timlin, THE SHIP THAT SAILED TO MARS secured his reputation alongside prolific professional illustrators like Arthur Rackham, Edmund Dulac, and Kay Nielsen. A beautiful copy of a strikingly original space odyssey. Quarto. 12'' x 9''. Original quarter vellum, grey printed paper boards, spine lettered and ornamented in gilt. 96 leaves of heavy grey paper, containing 48 mounted pages of printed lettering in Timlin's hand and 48 mounted full color illustrations. Early New York bookseller ticket on rear pastedown. Spine slightly darkened, some tip and edge wear, faint rubbing to boards. Interior clean.