Catalogue No. 9 (E-List) - Recent Acquisitions (April 2020)
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A very scarce and beautifully hand-colored children’s book from the Arts & Crafts Movement
1) Radford, Dollie. The Young Gardener’s Kalendar. London: De La More Press, 1904. Frontispiece and twelve illustrations by L.E. Wright, which have all been hand-colored to striking effect. Printed on unbleached Arnold handmade paper. Tan buckram with dark green decoration and gilt lettering to front cover. Gilt lettering to spine. Measures approx. 6.5" x 9.75". Some browning to edges of covers and spine. Light spots to some pages.
“…Dollie Radford managed to unite the two opposite directions of the Pre-Raphaelite movement. She pursued the direction of a conservative aesthetics associated with the reflexive discourse of an art for art’s sake ideology, which led to the Decadence of the fin-de-siècle poets. And she pursued the direction of a radical politics associated with the communal discourse of an Arts and Crafts ideology, which led to the socialism of William Morris and the feminism of the New Woman poets” (David Latham).
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A classic Radford children’s book, and also fully hand-colored
2) Radford, Dollie. Good Night. London: David Nutt, 1895. With designs by Louis Davis throughout, which have all been beautifully hand-colored. (Though a limited edition of 50 copies was issued and hand-colored by the author, and copies have also been discovered with hand coloring by Gloria Cardew, this does not appear to be either one of those!) Original holland backed color paper covered boards with designs/borders on both covers in negative space and lettering on cover. Printed on card, one-side only. Measures approx. 5.75" x 7.75". Rubbing to boards, spine loose, and white tape has been used at spine on the interior to strengthen several leaves.
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Bound by Douglas Cockerell in 1899 for Louis Davis, “the last of the Pre-Raphaelites”
3) Rossetti, Christina. Sing Song: A Nursery Rhyme Book. London: George Routledge & Sons, [no date, but likely issued in the late 1880s]. One hundred and twenty illustrations by Arthur Hughes, engraved by the Dalziel brothers. Bound in full russet brown morocco by Douglas Cockerell with gilt lettering and decoration to front cover and spine, and signature tri-leaf design in blind extending from spine bands. Signed with his “DC” monogram and dated 1899. The front and rear cover features the monogram of Louis Davis: famed illustrator, watercolorist, stained glass artist, and “the last of the Pre-Raphaelites” (Pevsner). One of the front endpapers bears the signature of Davis, as well. Gilt-ruled turn-ins with two flyleaves of light blue paper. All edges gilt. Measures approx. 5.5" x 7.25". Some light spotting to covers, corners slightly bumped, and some light foxing to pages
A fantastic Arts & Crafts association volume.
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Unique illustrations by T.R.R.P. in a pigskin binding for Bumpus
4) Tennyson, Alfred Lord. The Lotos Eaters. London: Gay & Bird, [1901]. With designs by T.R.R.P. Single-sided pages with decorative black floral frames and title letters in red. Bound in pigskin for J & E Bumpus, featuring decoration in blind, with gilt dots at corners and gilt lettering to spine. All edges gilt. Measures approx. 6.75" x 8.5". Gift inscription. Rubbing to edges and discoloration to covers. Wear to spine.
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An obscure pamphlet with Arthur J. Gaskin illustration, bound in vellum with ties
5) The Legend of St. Christopher, Done Into Rhyme By J.W.S. Birmingham: Cornish Bros, 1901. Cover design by Arthur J. Gaskin bound in. Text printed in red & black with opening Kelmscott-style initial. Printed on handmade paper. Bound in full unbleached vellum with ribbon ties, with gilt lettering to front cover and covers divided into 25 compartments, outlined with gilt and turquoise ink. Small flower tool at the intersection of each gilt rule. Top edge stained turquoise. Measures approx. 5.75" x 8.75". Some spotting to covers, slightly sprung.
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Original artwork by H. Granville Fell
6) [Fell, H. Granville]. “The Dairy”. Original artwork in watercolor and ink by Herbert Granville Fell for an unknown project. (Title comes from a light pencil note in the lower left corner.) A beautiful vignette of a dairy cow and woman in traditional “milkmaid” attire, surrounding by a signature Granville Fell intertwining floral border in black ink. Thick card stock measures 14 3/8" x 4 ¼". Artwork measures 12" x 3". Browning and some spots, primarily to edges. Some faint pencil markings to bottom.
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Scarce privately printed Merrymount Press title
7) Warren, George B. Arcady in Troy. Privately printed at the Merrymount Press, 1904. Second impression. The frontispiece by Thomas Maitland Cleland has been hand-colored. According to a period article in “The Bookman”, this volume (presumably the first impression?) was printed in an edition of 75 copies. The subject matter is a description of a private garden in Troy, NY, and also features two tissue-covered photogravures. Cloth spine with paper-covered boards. Measures approx. 5.5" x 9". Bookplate of “Mrs. Hewitt” and a presentation card on front pastedown, indicating the volume was a gift of “Mrs. Abram S. Hewitt” from her 3 daughters, dated 1923. Rubbing to edges and spine tips, and some spots to covers.
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Hand-colored publication from Frank B. Rae’s Alwil Shop
8) Plato [Translated into English by Henry Cary]. The Apology of Socrates. Ridgewood, NJ: Alwil Shop, 1901. Limited to 475 copies on Van Gelder handmade paper, of which this is #75. Initialed by Frank B. Rae, Jr., who designed the title page and two initials–which were hand colored by Elgie F. Bowen. Francis A. Bowen printed the volume. Cloth spine with paper covered boards and title in gilt to the front cover. Measures approx. 5.25" x 8.5". Some staining to upper corner of the front and back covers, and bumping to corners. (No staining to the text block.)
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California Arts & Crafts gift book, illuminated by hand
9) Dale, Mary. The Day Before Marriage. Los Angeles, CA: Warren T. Potter, Publisher and Bookmaker, 1916. Cover design by Howard Williard. Typography by Taylor’s Printery. Hand painted page designs by Alice Bryant. Bound in tan buckram with gilt lettering to front cover. Six designs, beautifully illuminated in watercolor by California artist Alice Daniels Bryant (1879-1944). Measures approx. 6.25" x 8.5". Glassine wrapper present in name only (bottom 1/3 missing)–but it’s done its job, as the volume is pristine.
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Scarce example from the Hillside Press, featuring hand-colored Frederic Goudy designs
10) Burr, Amelia J. Plays in the Market-Place. Englewood, NJ: Hillside Press, 1910. Limited to 350 copies on Fabriano Italian paper. Dual title-page, designed by Mabel H. Duncan. Headbands, publisher’s mark, and printer’s emblem design by Frederic W. Goudy. All decorations have been hand-colored, and each has a tissue divider present. Paper-covered boards with small label to the front upper right cover. Measures approx. 6" x 9". Thin closed cracks to outer hinges. Wear to upper spine tip.
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An etching by Alfred de Sauty, featuring a one-of-a-kind Rockwell Kent association
11) de Sauty, Alfred. “De Sauty’s Bad Dream…“ [1930]. A New Year’s greeting in the form of a hand-colored etching by Alfred de Sauty, master bookmaker and artist, and head of the Donnelley bindery at the time of this etching. The etching also bears a note by the artist Rockwell Kent, who is included as one of the subjects of the image.
Four figures are astride Moby Dick, chasing down de Sauty–the four figures (and the whale!) representing the illustrators of the monumental “Four American Books” project–the prospectus of which is included here–from the Lakeside Press. In 1930, four classics of American literature were published by the Lakeside Press: Moby Dick, illustrated by Rockwell Kent; Tales (of Edgar Allan Poe), illustrated by W.A. Dwiggins; Two Years Before the Mast, illustrated by Edward A. Wilson; Walden, illustrated by Rudolph Ruzicka. Kent, in stocking cap, sits at the top of Moby Dick, holding the harpoon closest to de Sauty. Dwiggins appears as a skeleton, wearing a blue cap and yellow scarf and holding a knife dripping blood. Edward A. Wilson is third down the whale, holding the other harpoon, and accordingly dressed in 1800s sailor attire. Last is a nude Rudolph Ruzicka, appropriately contemplating a large flower in the spirit of Walden–and perhaps a reference to Ruzicka taking up residence near the Walden house to complete his illustrations.
The fact that de Sauty is being chased by this group would presumably represent the amount of work these publications provided the Extra Bindery at the Lakeside Press in 1930. (And indeed, several fantastic examples of de Sauty’s work on these titles have surfaced over the years.) Given the full title of this etching (“De Sauty’s Bad Dream - May Yours Be Better in 1931”), Kent’s comment of “Me too!” seems to represent that he was also looking forward to 1931. This could be a reference to the fact that it was likely Kent’s most prolific year from a publication standpoint: Moby Dick, N by E, and The Canterbury Tales were all issued in 1930.
Due to the few records available on this particular work, it appears to have had a very small distribution–even potentially just to the illustrators featured. The only other reference I was able to uncover comes from a de Sauty/Wislon association copy of Two Years Before the Mast, listed in AB Bookman in 1991.
Measures 10 ¼” x 3 3/8". Artwork measures 8 ½" x 2.5". Browning around artwork edges due to frame matting. Light remnants to two spots on the rear top edge where etching was mounted. Though the etching has been removed from the frame, it will be included with purchase.
As stated above, the scarce large-format Four American Books prospectus is included with the etching, which includes two tipped-in leaves from each of the four titles. Loosely inserted is an announcement about net prices, as well as an order form. Some browning to the covers.
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Stunning inlaid ¾ morocco binding by The Booklover’s Shop–Leon Maillard, Henri Hardy, and Gaston Pilon
12) Fitzgerald, Sybil. Naples. London: Adam & Charles Black, 1904. Illustrated by Augustine Fitzgerald. Bound in ¾ navy morocco leather and light blue marbled boards by The Booklover’s Shop, featuring a stunning design to the spine of the volume of a tambourine inlaid in orange, brown, and red, surrounded by gilt vines and leaves sprouting inlaid red and white flowers. A small owner’s monogram (JJG?) in gilt to the front upper left cover. Light pink and turquoise marbled endpapers. Top edge gilt. Measures approx. 6.5" x 8.75". Rubbing to edges and spine bands. Some scratches and wear to spine, as well as two small chips to leather of tambourine.
“The [Booklover’s Shop] bindery traces its lineage back to The Club Bindery, founded in 1895 by members of the Grolier Club to provide exceptionally fine binding for American collectors. The Club Bindery moved to Cleveland, where it was successively renamed the Rowfant Bindery (1909-1913), the Booklover’s Shop (1914-1917), and finally, The French Binders (1918-1920s), as in-house bindery to Doubleday in Garden City, New York (cf. Bound to Be the Best: The Club Bindery)” (James Cummins).
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Inlaid art nouveau binding by Morrell
13) Translated by William Whewell. Plato and Socrates. London: Arthur Humphreys, 1907. Part of Humphreys’ The Royal Library Belles Lettres series. Bound in full crimson red morocco leather by Morrell, featuring an inlaid art nouveau roundel on the front cover in dark green, and decorated with intricate gilt tooling. Each corner on the front and back covers feature an array of small tools and gouges, punctuated by a small green inlaid dot. Six compartments to spine, with title in the second and floral gilt border to each of the other five. Tri-ruled turn-ins with three flowers at each corner, and light blue endpapers in the style of the arts & crafts binders of the period. Top edge gilt. Measures approx. 5" x 6.5". Light rubbing to hinges.
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Classic title on the Pre-Raphaelites in a lovely A&C binding for Hatchards
14) Holman Hunt, W[illiam]. Pre-Raphaelitism And The Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood [2 vols]. London: Macmillan & Co., 1905. First edition. Forty photogravure plates, illustrations to text. Bound in full reddish brown crushed morocco leather for Hatchards of Piccadilly, featuring an arts & crafts design in gilt reminiscent of the work of Douglas Cockerell, and likely executed by Sangorski & Sutcliffe. Tri-ruled turn-ins with light blue endpapers. All edges gilt. Volumes measure approx. 5.75" x 8.75" x 2". Some light rubbing to edges, fading to spines, and some slight staining to covers.
“The Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood (later known as the Pre-Raphaelites) was a group of English painters, poets, and art critics, founded in 1848 by William Holman Hunt, John Everett Millais, Dante Gabriel Rossetti, William Michael Rossetti, James Collinson, Frederic George Stephens and Thomas Woolner who formed a seven-member “Brotherhood” modelled in part on the Nazarene movement.[1] The Brotherhood was only ever a loose association and their principles were shared by other artists of the time, including Ford Madox Brown, Arthur Hughes and Marie Spartali Stillman. Later followers of the principles of the Brotherhood included Edward Burne-Jones, William Morris and John William Waterhouse” (Wikipedia).
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Stunning and extravagant inlaid binding in red, green, white, and mother-of-pearl
15) Shakespeare, William. Songs from the Plays of Shakespeare. London: Aldine House, 1898. (A separate edition of 100 copies on Japan vellum and 10 copies on real vellum was also printed exclusively for the Guild of Women Binders.) Illustrated with 12 plates by Paul Woodroffe. Bound in full light brown morocco leather with an exceptional inlaid design to the front cover, featuring a lute inlaid in red with a small mother-of-pearl inset, surrounded by red and white flowers, green leaves and vines, and accented with small gilt dots. The title of the volume in gilt is included at the top of the design, and the first three lines from “Orpheus with his lute” (from Henry VIII) are lettered in gilt at the bottom: “Orpheus with his lute made trees, And the mountain-tops that freeze, Bow themselves, when he did sing:”. The design is outlined in dual gilt rules, with the outer edges of the boards featuring the same. Title to second compartment and dual gilt ruling with small flower tool to each of the remaining compartments. Turn-ins ruled in gilt and blind, with light brown silk endpapers. An unsigned binding, but most similar to the work of Cedric Chivers bindery. Small leather bookplate to front silk pastedown (PMC?). All edges gilt. Measures approx. 6" x 8.25". Some light fading to covers and spine; some rubbing to edges and spine bands, and small spots of wear to bottom of spine.
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