The Green Sheaf

another Green Sheaf publication

Today I received Miss Alma Tadema's "Four Plays" published by the Green Sheaf. The frontpiece I suppose is the work of PCS, though withou that monogram. Books published by the Green Sheaf are soft paperbacks and very fragile so that they were likely to be rebound into hardcover. My copy is in the original state so that we can see the valuable back advertisement. And there's an inscripition by the author.

http://grimoire.blog.ocn.ne.jp/doll/files/fourplays01.jpg
http://grimoire.blog.ocn.ne.jp/doll/files/fourplays02.jpg
http://grimoire.blog.ocn.ne.jp/doll/files/fourplays03.jpg

the back ad says --

At the "Green Sheaf" may be found,
Many prints both square and round.
Post card, two pence, three pence, more --
Just come in and see our store.

So there were post cards by PCS. My hunting never ends!

Wonderful additions to your collection.

Just a point of clarification - it's Mr. Laurence (Lawrence) Alma-Tadema, the well-known Victorian artist.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lawrence_Alma-Tadema

Your copy was dedicated to the famous novelist and anti-suffragette campaigner, Mary Augusta (Mrs. Humphrey) Ward.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Augusta_Ward

Congratulations on a great find.

Mary

Hi Teheuti,

Laurence Alma Tadema(1864-1940) is a daughter of Sir Lawrence Alma Tadema the painter (notice u and w!). It's very confusing!

Miss Alma Tadema wrote poems, plays, novels, etc. One of her translation works was Maeterlinck's play "Pelleas e Melisanda", later turned into opera with the music of Debussy. Presumably it was Miss Alma Tadema who introduced PCS to Debussy. In WWI Miss Alma Tadema became the honorary chairman of Polish Victims' Relief Fund. PCS drew a poster for the organizasion. Very powerful lady, without doubt!

Many point out that the settings of RWS minors are very theatrical, stage-like. But to which play? I suppose we might find a part of answer by checking these "not so well-known" plays written by Pixie's friends.

roppo said:

Hi Teheuti,

Laurence Alma Tadema(1864-1940) is a daughter of Sir Lawrence Alma Tadema the painter (notice u and w!). It's very confusing!

Click to expand...

Thanks for clarifying that. It is confusing as the father's name seems to be spelled both ways, too.

Mary

my greatest finding ever!

Mr Kaplan told us that Pamela Colman Smith went into obscurity after WWI.
"After 1920, none of her artistic works seem to have reached the public" wrote Mr Jensen in his brilliant WS study.

A book I received today clearly shows that was not the case. My latest, and perhaps the biggest finding ever. I yelled, danced, ran around my house as usual. And now I'm planning a lantern procession.

Lyttelton, Edith, "The Sinclair Family", Heath Cranton, London, 1926.

There are twelve illustrations by PCS in the book!!!!! and all of them with a date "1925". Some examples --

http://grimoire.blog.ocn.ne.jp/doll/files/sinclair01.jpg
http://grimoire.blog.ocn.ne.jp/doll/files/sinclair04.jpg
http://grimoire.blog.ocn.ne.jp/doll/files/sinclair06.jpg
http://grimoire.blog.ocn.ne.jp/doll/files/sinclair12.jpg


I believe the link between PCS and Edith Lyttelton (1865-1948) was established during WWI when both women were involved in the War Refugee issue. Lytteton was a great lover of theatre (wrote seven plays herself) and illustrations of children's literature; it's no wonder she became interested in PCS. And she had a supernatural tendency and once a President of the council of the Society for Psychical Reseach (1933-34). One of the really powerful women of her days.

Now I believe this was not the last book PCS did illustrarion. Perhap one or two are still sleeping somewhere in the world, unnoticed. My hunting continues.

roppo, amazing what you come up with.

Do you suppose these might have been drawn a bit earlier then the publication date?

Oh wonderful. I especially like Peter and Ann in Stockholm.

The crowned one said:

roppo, amazing what you come up with.

Do you suppose these might have been drawn a bit earlier then the publication date?

Click to expand...

Yes, I suppose so. PCS wrote "1925" beside her monogram and I have no reason to doubt it.

Now this is really a breakthrough. I believe by searching Lyttelton we'll be able to discover some unknown facts about Pixie.

Roppo -- you've turned into a historian. Already there's enough here for a small monograph. I wonder if there wouldn't be a way to partner with US Games for a short, but well-illustrated book on the extended ouevre of Pamela Colman Smith? I would imagine there's enough self-interest on their part, and certainly enough enthusiasm and knowledge on your part, to create a product of absorbing interest to tarot fans everywhere?

Thank you for the words Rota. But my little collection is a kitten compared to the U.S. Game System's (i.e., Mr Kaplan's) Pixie collection which is like a roaring tiger. They can compile a respectable Pixie book by their own if they want to. What I'm doing is just an interlude. The real show will start when Dr Parsons's Pixie biography appears.

I know two more places where I think I can find some less known Pixie works. Hunting continues.