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TIMLIN, William Mitcheson.
The Arrival.
Publisher: [Kimberley, South Africa, sometime before 1923]
Stock code: 59412
Price: £37,500 Currency Conversion
Born in Northumberland, Timlin emigrated to South Africa, where he studied art and practised as an architect. The Ship That Sailed to Mars (1923) is his only published book, a fantastical illustrated gift book that rivalled those of Rackham, Dulac, Goble and Nielsen. The book was published by George Harrap, who had earlier published Willy Pogany, and they followed a similar format here, reproducing Timlin's original calligraphic text mounted, like the plates, on grey matte paper. Timlin's book is divided in three parts: detailing the building and outfitting of the ship, the journey, and the arrival. "The Arrival" is the first plate of the third part, showing the ship's arrival on Mars itself, sailing high over a lake surrounded by fantastical buildings, the Martian princess watching them from a terrace overlooking the lake. The painting is signed by the artist after publication at the lower left.
Original watercolour on paper (image 270 × 247 mm; framed 615 × 540 mm). Together with two original leaves of accompanying calligraphic text: the contents list for "Part three: Mars", and the descriptive text to accompany this plate (text in black with initial letters and decorations in blue). Three items individually matted, glazed and framed.
