Larder Lodge B[essie] Parker, illustrated by N[ancy] Parker, [Very Good] [Hardcover]

Description

Larder Lodge, verses by Bessie Parker, illustrated by Nancy Parker, pub. W & R Chambers 1910 First Edition. Landscape folio 320 mm x 230 mm. Illustrated paper covered boards with touches of edge wear. Sympathetically rebacked. 56 pp on 28 leaves. 14 full page colour plates, the other illustrations in pen and ink vignette. Front hinge partallly cracked, Archival Japanese paper reinforcement at gutter towards rear of book. Tiny inscription dated 1910 to the upper corner of the front pastedown. These books rarely turn up in good shape but this example is internally very fresh with blemish free pages and still totally vibrant. The Parker sisters, Bessie and Nancy are rather mysterious, no biography appearing in neither the Horne or Houfe dictionaries of 20th and 19th century illustrators. They published a number of books together in the early years of the twentieth century and in Larder Lodge quite a dark tale of a family of foxes, the Slims who, their poultry farm having failed - who could have guessed that business model wouldn't survive? - they decide to open a boarding house by the sea. A number of animals come to stay taking part in various activities, swimming, boating, a musical evening, but when it comes to settle the bills the Slims have some difficulty making some of the guests pay up, with mortal consequences in some cases. One has the distinct feeling that the boarding house reflects the personal experiences of the sisters though, hopefully, not the homicidal murderous finale.