Pellar (Hans) Eight original book illustrations for 'Der verliebte Flamingo' [together with] a published copy of the first edition of the book, pencil, watercolour wash, some gold heightening, each signed in pencil and dated between 1919 and 1922, on card, various sizes between 145 x 295 mm (5 3/4 x 11 1/2 in) and 270 x 280 mm (10 1/2 x 11 in), each laid onto mounts with "cobweb" tissue guards, loose, circa 1919 to 1922; Der verliebte Flamingo, introduction by Max Krell, first edition, one of 150 copies, 10 hand-coloured plates, original wrappers, the front cover printed with a design in blue and gold, 1923, all housed together in near-contemporary pink velvet drop-back box with grey velvet inlay all decorated in gilt and central painted circular vellum disk (some light staining and fading to box, some splitting to joints and head and foot, contained within marbelled card drop-back box and modern pink velvet drop-back box with upper cover in imitation of the published work, large 4to.

⁂ A beautiful collection of original drawings for Pellar's privately published erotic masterpiece. The Austrian artist Hanns Pellar, renowned for his unique Art Nouveau aesthetic, gained recognition for his use of graceful lines, intricate decorative motifs, and a frequent focus on mythological and allegorical themes. In 1911, he was invited by the Grand Duke of Hessen to join the Künstlerkolonie in Darmstadt, where he primarily focused on portraiture, earning acclaim among a select group of art connoisseurs. Pellar’s works often depicted high-society women adorned in lavish attire, celebrated for their vivid creativity and radiant quality. His contributions to art were deeply rooted in the Jugendstil movement, which flourished in Austria and Germany during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. This movement mirrored artistic trends elsewhere in Europe, including the Arts and Crafts movement in Britain and the Art Nouveau styles prominent in France and Belgium.