Margaret Macadam
Born14 July 1902
West Ham
Died24 March 1991 (aged 88)
Milford-on-Sea
NationalityBritish
Alma materRoyal Academy Schools
Occupationillustrator
Known forDesigned dust wrapper for first edition of Agatha Christie's novel Giant's Bread
SpouseFrancis Beart

Margaret Macadam (1902–1991) was a British illustrator active in the 1920s and 1930s. In 1923-24 she was a member of the Society of Women Artists and in 1925 she won a scholarship to the Royal Academy Schools[1] where a fellow student and future sister-in-law was Amy Elton.[2][3]Among her commercial works are several dust wrapper designs for London-based publishers, most important among which is the design for the dust wrapper for the first edition of Agatha Christie's first straight novel Giant's Bread. Following the discovery of an archive of Macadam's work in 2016[4] it was possible to connect her work on Giant's Bread to other known designs. The original artwork for Giant's Bread was sold for £550 in 2016.[5] She is also known to have designed wallpaper, and greetings cards for Medici, London. Other work is known, such as 1933. [6] In May 1936 she married Francis Beart, already well-known as a racing motor cyclist and motor cycle tuner, and later also for tuning Formula Three racing cars.[7] During World War II she trained as a nurse in the Voluntary Aid Detachment (VAD) while her husband worked as an engineer for the Bristol Aeroplane Company.[8]

Book dust wrapper designs

Among her known works are:

Not all her dust wrappers are signed, but those for Water into Wine, Joseph Kerkhoven's Third Existence, Blind Mouths, Neighbours, The Barbarians and Humour are.

References

  1. "Margaret Kate Macadam | Artist | Royal Academy of Arts". www.royalacademy.org.uk.
  2. "Amy Elton | Artist | Royal Academy of Arts". www.royalacademy.org.uk.
  3. "Cornwall Artist Index: Amy Elton". Retrieved 21 September 2023.
  4. "Macadam, British, early-mid 20th century Giants Bread; gouache and pencil, original artwork for illustration, 38x26cm: Together with a quantity of other designs and illustrations of work by the same artist, mixed media, gouache, charcoal, and watercolour on card and paper, 38x25.5cm (Max), (13 in the lot approx.) (Unframed) - Price Estimate: £150 - £200".
  5. Original artwork shown https://www.collectingchristie.com/post/mary-westmacott
  6. "Margaret Macadam 1933".
  7. Clew, Jeff (1978). Francis Beart - a single purpose. Sparkford, Somerset: Haynes. p. 34. ISBN 0 85429 236 5.
  8. Clew, Jeff (1978). Francis Beart - a single purpose. Sparkford, Somerset: Haynes. pp. 73–82. ISBN 0 85429 236 5.
  9. Copy listed by Abe Books https://www.abebooks.com/first-edition/Water-Wine-1st-Edition-Catherine-Cotton/22867056378/bd
  10. Copy listed by Abe Books https://www.abebooks.com/Living-Life-Pember-Evelyn-Collins-London/5372901439/bd
  11. Copy in British Library, signed to dust wrapper, BLL01003860571 Shelfmark: General Reference Collection 12557.ppp.7.
  12. Copy listed by Klanhorn http://www.booksandcollectibles.com.au/book.php3?book_id=485632009
  13. Copy in British Library, signed to dust wrapper, UIN BLL01003696736 Shelfmark: General Reference Collection NN.22713.
  14. Copy listed by betweenthecovers https://www.betweenthecovers.com/pages/books/410016/george-thomas/neighbours-with-original-handwritten-manuscript
  15. Artwork shown https://art.co/artworks/margaret-macadam-art-deco-book-cover-design-the-barbarians-by-virginia-faulkner
  16. Copy listed on Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Humour-Theory-Technique-Examples-Samples/dp/B0010JRR8S

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