Ted May and the Forlorn Hope
Antiquarian & Collectible Young Adult Fiction Picture Book Art & Culture Australian Art Illustrated Books Biographical Fiction
Ted May and the Forlorn Hope is a scarce, lavishly illustrated paperback that art-lovers and picture-book collectors hunt for by keyword: “Ted May art book,” “Gordon Morrison illustrations,” or “Australian artists picture book.” The story follows the real-life colonial painter Ted May as he races to finish a final exhibition before his eyesight fails—an emotional “forlorn hope” that gives the book its collectible title. Every spread is saturated with Gordon Morrison’s museum-quality plates, reproduced in rich colour on heavy matte stock that still feels crisp in this very-good, smoke-free copy (no writing, tears, or dog-ears).
What makes this copy especially appealing is its crossover audience. Young adults are drawn to the fast-moving, underdog narrative, while adult collectors prize the antiquarian angle: the book doubles as a pocket retrospective of nineteenth-century Australian art, complete with exhibition notes and archival sketches. Keywords such as “antiquarian illustrated Australia,” “artist picture book adult,” or “Gordon Morrison collector” consistently surface this title in niche searches, but only clean, unmarked copies like this one satisfy condition-sensitive buyers.
Because the first edition paperback had a tiny print-run and most copies were read to pieces in classrooms, very-good examples that sit flat on the shelf and flash bright, unfaded covers are now scarce in commerce. If you’re building a curated art-and-culture shelf or hunting a gift that bridges YA storytelling with serious illustration, this copy of Ted May and the Forlorn Hope offers both narrative heart and lasting visual impact—an affordable piece of Australiana that quietly appreciates while you enjoy the pictures.
Refer to our eBay listing for a full condition report and many more high-quality pictures of this item.
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