Adopt-a-Book

An Initiative of the Friends of the University of Adelaide Library

Night fall in the Ti-tree

Geraldine Rede (1874?-1943) and Violet Teague (1872-1951)
Melbourne: Imprinted now for the first time by hand at the Sign of the Rabbit, 1905

Rare Books & Special Collections
Strong Room Collection SR 821A R31n

Synopsis

A wonderful children's story in which creatures emerge around the Ti-trees after dark and where nature has given the rabbits special gifts to help them survive, Night fall in the Ti-tree is the earliest known example of colour relief printing in Australia.  It is also a very early example of the influence of Japanese woodblock techniques on Australian printmaking.

Born in Melbourne in 1872, Violet Teague studied painting in Brussels and England at the Ernest Blanc-Garin studio and at Hubert von Herkomer's school.  On her return to Melbourne, she joined the National Gallery of Victoria art school and began to paint portraits of local people.  In 1902 she was appointed to the council of the Victorian Artists' Society and three years later produced her first two books, Birds in the sunny south and Night fall in the Ti-tree, both in collaboration with her friend, Geraldine Rede.

The Japanese influence on Night fall in the Ti-tree is clear, especially in its printing and format.  Resembling the Japanese children's crepe books of the late 1800s, its illustrations lead from one page to the next, as in a frieze.  It was first printed by hand in 1905 at the Sign of the Rabbit press and contained woodblocks that were accompanied by verse letterpress based loosely on the Japanese haiku poem.  It was printed in colour using the Japanese method of brushing water-based inks onto woodblocks cut along the grain, and then bound in the Japanese style with green silk ribbon.

Night fall in the Ti-tree was exhibited in both the Victorian Artists Society Exhibition and the Federal Art Exhibition in 1905.  Two years later it won an award at the First Australian Exhibition of Women's work in Melbourne.

Original Condition

Rare, hand-made quarto illustrated with sixteen woodcut pictures, most of which are hand-initialed by the artist.  Binding, in the stab stitch style, in poor condition and restricting the book's use.  Green silk binding ribbon torn in multiple places and starting to pull away from the leaves.  Inner metal staples beginning to corrode.

Restoration by Anthony Zammit

Binding reinforced with dyed linen thread.  Original green silk ribbon retained and reinforced, allowing the book to be easily and safely opened.  Corroding metal staples removed from the textblock.