Fairies: The Cottingley Photos and Their Sequel

Fairies: The Cottingley Photos and Their Sequel
Gardner, Edward L.

First edition, first impression of this important early work on the Cottingley Fairies, published by one of the leading Theosophists of the day. Gardner (1880–1969), General Secretary of the Theosophical Society in England, was instrumental in promoting the photographs taken by Elsie Wright and Frances Griffiths, and in persuading Sir Arthur Conan Doyle of their authenticity. This volume reproduces the famous photographs, including Alice and the Fairies, Fairy Offering a Posy to Elsie, and Frances and the Leaping Fairy, alongside Gardner’s commentary and his defence of their genuineness.

The Cottingley Fairy photographs, taken in 1917 and 1920, became one of the most celebrated photographic hoaxes of the 20th century, though they were not fully exposed as fakes until the early 1980s, when both women admitted to having staged them using cardboard cut-outs. At the time, however, they convinced many spiritualists, not least Conan Doyle, who saw in them a vindication of his beliefs in spiritualism and psychic phenomena.

Octavo. Original blue cloth-backed boards, titles to upper board in black. With the 5 famous Cottingley Fairy photographs. Bookplate of Jean Corke to front pastedown and front free endpaper, with ownership name to the latter. Some spotting to endpapers and text throughout, more pronounced to preliminaries and plate leaves, boards a little rubbed, spotted and toned, spine ends lightly worn, cracking to binding at p 26, but pages still holding firm. A good copy.