Watch List notes:

LINDSAY, Norman, Original Publisher's layout for the first edition of The Magic Pudding, Being the Adventures of Bunyip Bluegum and his friends Bill Barnacle & Sam Sawnoff, Sydney, Angus & Robertson, 1918, containing hand stamped numbered pages with cut and pasted text and illustrations, stitched and partially bound spine; together with a copy of the The Magic Pudding, Sydney, Angus & Robertson, 1918, First edition, 4to, with cream printed boards and pictorial dustjacket, half-title with illustration, coloured pictorial title page, followed by black and white title page with a vignette. Nearly very fine, the publisher's layout an extremely important piece of Magic Pudding history, unique. (2)

First part Ex Lawsons Auctioneers, Sale 3726, lot 307. 26 October 2004.

This original publisher's layout was acquired by a Mr Perce Louden in 1918. He was a builder who had been working on Lindsay's home in Chapman Parade, Faulconbridge. He saw the layout languishing in the garbage nearby and asked Norman Lindsay if he could keep it. Lindsay agreed and it was eventually passed down through Louden's family. In the mid 1960's a family member appeared at the house in Faulconbridge to show Norman Lindsay the layout. He leafed through the pages and declared "It's only fit for the bloody bin where it should have stayed."

The Publisher's Layout was lent to the Norman Lindsay Gallery where it was on display for a number of years.