Offered for sale by Adam Langlands of 'Shadowrock Rare Books' - for more information please contact him via email at adamlanglands@gmail.com

[POLYNESIA ?] - [UNKOWN Artist, 20th century]. [A near-set of original artwork ilustrating a fable probably set in Polynesia]. [No place, but possibly French Polynesia: no date but circa 1925-35]. Folio (14 12/ x 11 1/2in; 368 x 292mm). 49 (of 52) pen, ink and watercolor drawings on thin card (numbered 1, 4-45, 47-52 on the verso). Condition: some chips, margins a little brittle and with some light soiling, but generally acceptable. A story waiting for the words: the gifted but unidentified artist is clearly illustrating a particular story. Like watching a film without sound, a sense of the story can be gathered without any words/sounds but of course any/all subtleties are lost. A young boy lives with his parents on a Polynesian(?) island. On a particular day: his parents are working hard and don't have a lot of time for him. He gets in their way, and is sent off on an errand, he 'spies' on a western couple (a  blond-haired artist and his wife/girlfriend) living in a house on the beach. He gets in their way. His mother fetches him. He is sent down to the beach, told to stay out of trouble. He gets bored, and 'borrows' a canoe. He paddles out from shore. He looses control and is thrown from the boat. He sinks/swims to the ocean floor, where he encounters various fish (good and bad?) and has various adventures with them. He enjoys himself to start with but comes to realise that he wants to go home. The adventure ends and his wish is granted when he is caught by his parents in their nets as they night-fish using burning palm fronds to attract the fish. Re-united he goes to church with his parents. He is exhausted from his adventures and is allowed to sleep during the service. [They all lived happily ever after?].