I hadn’t planned on going to the antique mall yesterday. I had a lot to do and a busy week ahead of me. But I found myself in a *mood* and thought that maybe sifting through some old junk would cheer me up. It usually does. And boy did it yesterday!~
Although I expected the shop to be picked nearly clean on a Monday, I found this treasure within moments of walking in the door. A beautiful, nearly perfect condition edition of the 1943 Jane Eyre illustrated by Fritz Eichenberg. I don’t remember where, but I’d seen this cover before and it was haunting and so beautiful. Even though I hadn’t really planned to spend money, I snatched this up without hesitation.
With the book was also a Wuthering Heights edition which was obviously its mate with the same binding and illustrations by the same artist. I didn’t realize until I went to pay that the price on the Jane Eyre wasn’t just for that book— it was also for Wuthering Heights, and they came with their own little case and a paper pamphlet that had come with the books from a ‘book of the month club’ in 1943. The books even have a lovely bookplate in the front with the original owner’s name. These volumes were obviously treasured. They were less than $20.
When I found out I got all this for such a nice little price, I nearly shrieked and jumped up and down and cried. Almost. I do have some control 😉
I wanted to share with you just a few of the amazing illustrations in this book. They are like little beautiful dark masterpieces. I heart them something fierce. See for yourself:
Aren’t these just gorgeous? I can’t help but see a little of myself in them. I hope that I might achieve just a fraction of the ‘dark and strange and beautiful’ that Eichenberg manages to capture with his wood engravings. They are just…Magic. I’ll show you the ones in Wuthering Heights at a later time. They are just as gorgeous.
Aren’t these just gorgeous? I can’t help but see a little of myself in them. I hope that I might achieve just a fraction of the ‘dark and strange and beautiful’ that Eichenberg manages to capture with his wood engravings. They are just…Magic. I’ll show you the ones in Wuthering Heights at a later time. They are just as gorgeous.Now I can’t help but think I need to make my own Jane illustrations…..
~H
Sleightholm Folk Art 
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