T. Mower Martin (Illustrator) - Canada - 1907

Scarce first edition and printing of a beautiful entry in A & C Black's classic travel titles, this one with a whopping seventy-seven plates in full colour by Mower Martin.

The book is colourfully illustrated with fold-out map, coloured frontispiece, and 76 captioned tissue-guarded fine colour plates, painted by the English-born Canadian landscape painter Thomas Mower.

Published by Adam and Charles Black, London, 1907. Publisher’s original dark red cloth with lovely art-nouveau design style binding, the spine and the upper cover gilt lettered and with an all-over design of flowering trees, mountains, cityscape, wheat, maple leaves, and roses in gilt, green and pink. Top page edges gilt.

Book Dimensions: 23 x 17 x 4 cm and Number of Pages: 272 including index 4 pages of publisher’s books

Condition
External covers are slightly marked, and with light wear to corners, and some tears to head of spine. Internally the book in good condition. Old awarded prize label on inside front cover page. Inner hinges are very good and pages are tightly held at gutters. Light foxing to the margin of some pages and page edges. The text and plates are clean and bright (Please see pictures).


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Canada
The author's idea has been "to describe the great natural features of the land, in its broader characteristics - its coasts, rivers, mountains, lakes and prairies, those physical beauties and sublime effects of natures for which the region is especially famous. With this he has attempted to depict the seasons, and the beauty of the Canadian woods. In addition there is given a brief sketch of the settlement and development of the different communities, with special reference to the great centres of provincial and racial activities, and a reference to the people, its origins, composite ideals, and the leading actors on its historical stage of progress and accomplishment." - From Author's Note. Ottawa 1906

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Thomas Mower Martin
“English-born Canadian landscape painter Thomas Mower Martin has been dubbed both "the father of Canadian art" and "dean of Canadian artist" by the Toronto Gazette. He painted in both oil and watercolour. Unhappy in his native London, he immigrated to Canada in 1862. He was a founding member of the Ontario Society of Artists, charter member of the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts, and a member of the Royal British Colonial Society of Artists. He exhibited widely during his lifetime and his paintings can be found in many public and private collections, including Windsor Castle”.