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Estimate: $ 1,000 - $ 1,500
(JUVENILE -- ILLUSTRATED COMMONPLACE.) Margaret Dovaston; and Jack Dovaston. Dovaston's Weekly; Dovaston's Magazine. Approximately 1000 pages in manuscript, profusely illustrated throughout with ink and watercolor drawings. 3 volumes. 8vo, period bindings; contents showing expected wear but good. London, 1895-1903
A typewritten slip pasted in: "The Dovaston Journals. 3 Vols. These books were made up by Margaret and Jack Dovaston, who lived in Ealing, W. Miss Dovaston had a studio in Avenue Gardens, Acton, and became a painter in oils of very considerable merit. Her work consisted mostly of 18th century conversation pieces, and her work after world war two, achieved its peak, in its maturity and animation".
Beginning with Volume 1, No. 1, 26 October 1895, each issue is announced with a header of the Dovaston's crest comprising tiny vignettes of ink, gum, scissors and the motto "Labor Ipse Voluptas" (Labor itself is pleasure). Over the span of eight years the self-proclaimed "editors" produced an incredibly novel opus of serially-installed illustrated folktales and stories, lessons, anecdotes, nonsense rhymes, acrostic word games and puzzles, brief musical scores, comical "letters" from "contributors" such as "Madas A. Hatter", and even obituaries. Some favorite original tales spanning the issues might be: "The Blue Dwarf, or, The Quest of the Fair Princess"; "The Story of My Life: A Cat's Tale"; "The Strange Adventures of an Englishman & an American"; or "Colin McColl's Diary, Being the History of a Strange Voyage in Space".
Scattered entries and drawings appear from various contributors such as a young Henry Albert Saul who went on to become a noted illustrator in his own right, very competent scenes by a monogrammed "GST", and contributions from other creative friends and family. Also we find a tipped-in letter of praise for the Dovastons from the Victorian actor Fred Terry.
Altogether, the books are a treat of curiously inspired and innocent adolescent wonder.
