BLACKMAN, [Charles]

Hat takes a Holiday. [Together with] Schoolgirl takes a Flip [cover titles]

[Melbourne, The Artist, 1979?].

Two flipbooks printed on card (46 × 114 to 127 mm and 46 × 112 to 126 mm), each comprising [18] leaves of gradually increasing length, with an illustration by the artist on each recto.

Stapled pink pictorial card covers; trifling signs of age and use; essentially in fine condition.

A flipbook is a small book of drawings which change gradually from leaf to leaf, giving the illusion of animation when the leaves are flipped in quick succession with the thumb. These two artist's books by Charles Blackman (1928-2018) are by all accounts very rare. The National Gallery of Australia has examples of both items, gifted by John McPhee in 1987. The State Library of Victoria has two copies of 'Hat takes a Holiday' ('one in a blue cover, one in orange') in the Papers of Rodney Rooney. Both institutions give 1979 as the date of publication; both incorrectly call for an 'illustrated cover and 19 sequential pages of images' (the last leaf is in fact the unillustrated rear cover).

The only other information we have readily gleaned comes from a comprehensive list of exhibitions featuring works by Charles Blackman, compiled by Galeria Aniela (accessible online): '1974 David Sumner Galleries, Adelaide, March, six tapestries and retrospective showing of drawings (Sunbather poster and flip books), curated by Rosalind Hollinrake'. [2 items].