Cobden-Sanderson, T.J.

Ecce Mundus. Industrial Ideals and the Book Beautiful

Hammersmith: Hammersmith Publishing Society, 1902. Hard Cover. Two short essays by Cobden-Sanderson printed at the Chiswick Press on fine paper. Bound in brown paper covered boards with vellum spine titled in black. Minor wear to edges of boards and darkening to spine. Bookplate of previous owner to front pastedown, and spot of soiling to rear free endpage, else clean. Unpaginated. MOR/042513. Very Good.

Crane, Walter

Five Handwritten Letters

A nice group of five letters totaling 9 pages from the artist Walter Crane to various addressees. The recipients were John Sparkes, a noted educator and Principal of the Royal College of Art (two letters); Theodore Blake Wirgman, English painter and a member with Crane in a group of avant-garde artists that included Robert Bateman and Harry Wooldridge (two letters); and one to the author Adeline Sargeant. The first letter to Sparkes was sent from Beaumont Lodge, March 1886: "Dear Mr. Sparkes, Mr. Armstrong will have told you my invitation to give a demonstration in gesso modelling tomorrow (Wednesday) and suggested the School Lecture room..." He makes recommendations for logistical considerations..."means of melting some glue." The second letter was sent on Royal College of Art imprinted stationery in Nov. 1898: "Dear Mr. Sparkes, I do not know whether you will have heard the Department on the matter, but it is proposed to have the prize distribution of the College on the evening of Tuesday, Dec. 20 and we should all be very pleased if you would come and give them away..." The first letter to Wirgman was sent from Kensington on stationery with his Crane monogram in Apr. 1896: "Dear Wirgman, I have been away but find the incident (?) with Mr. Halle on my return..." The second letter was from Holland St., May 1911: "Dear Wirgman, Here is the article for the Journal of the days (?) Arts degree as promised. May I have a proof and the MS..." The letter to Sargeant is from Beaumont Lodge, Oct. 1888: "Dear Madam, My committee in view of the heavy expenses which we have to cover do not feel able to grant free passes to the Arts and Crafts Exhibition, but as you will see from the circular I enclose, arrangements have been made for free Sundays...I beg, however, to offer you the enclused 50 tickets which I hope you will accept for the use of your classes, so that in one way or another I think they will be able to see the exhibition...."All letters are signed with Crane's distinctive signature. All are seven inches long and very good or better. LETTER/030513. Very Good.

Dale, Jane

Sugar: Sweetening Foods From Many Plants

Poughkeepsie, NY: Artists and Writers Guild, 1939. Paperback. 8vo. An educational picture book. Illustrated side stapled paper wrappers with yellow title to front and rear wraps. Browning to wraps and pages though text and illustrations remain clean and bright. 47 pages. CHILD/022513. Very Good in Wraps.

Debussy, Claude; Andre Halle, illustrator

La Boite a Joujoux. Ballet pour Enfants

Paris: Durand et Cie, 1913. Andre Helle. Boards. A charming copy of Debussy's ballet score (piano reduction only) for La Boite a Joujoux, with delightful color pochoire illustrations by Andre Helle. The ballet was inspired by Debussy's daughter and her toys and toybox. This was one of Debussy's final works, and the ballet was in fact not staged until after his death, with costumes and decor by Helle. Published in hardbound and softbound editions, this copy has been recased in tan paper-covered boards with Helle's illustrated title affixed to front cover. The original paper covers are bound in. In very good plus condition with a few small closed tears on the lower margin of a few pages, and some pages partially separated from binding. 10 x 13 inches. 48 pages. MUS/040513. Very Good+.

[Deeply Game Productions] Sara Press

Panthers! and Bear Fight

Pasadena, CA: Deeply Game Productions, 2012. Hard Cover. Number 1 of 7 copies. A suite of four etchings that depict contemporary mixed-martial-arts fighters. The accompanying text has been appropriated from a panther / bear fight advertising poster from the 1850s. Typeface designed by Dan Mayer. The prints and text are housed in a solid maple box with title burnt into the lid. This book was made in California and the East Coast humidity has caused the lid to warp a little along the edges. Near Fine.

[Dolman Press] Faulkner, Peter

William Morris and W.B. Yeats

Dublin: Dolmen Press, 1962. Hard Cover. First Edition. Limited to 1050 copies. A short but prized essay on Morris and Yeats, whose aethetics and politics were almost antithetical but whose meetings (from boyhood) left influences on both men. This essay by Faulkner was awarded a prize by the Morris Society adn was printed here in its first public edition. Very good in original blue paper covered boards and white linen spine. Titled in black on the spine and front cover. Sunning to bottom edges of both boards. Discoloration to boards where a wrap-around price sticker appears to have been removed. Bookplate has been neatly removed from front endpage; otherwise, interior is clean. In original glassine wrapper, which is chipped and creased with a large loss to rear panel. 31 pages. MOR/042413. Very Good.

Dubois, Patterson

Fireside Child-Study: The Art of Being Fair and Kind

New York: Dodd, Mead and Company, 1903. Hard Cover. Henry F. Burt's copy with his name inked to the front free endpage. Henry F. Burt (1897 - 1996) was a noted social worker who was commited to helping the poor and less fortunate. He became involved in the settlement house movement and worked on the staff of Graham Taylor's Chicago Commons Settlement House [University of Rhode Island Library: Guide to the Burt / Bock family papers 1831 - 1996]. Very good in dark green cloth boards with gilt title to spine and front cover. Fraying to spine ends with small loss to book cloth, light fraying to corners, and light rubbing to joints. Interior is clean overall with a few marginal ticks lightly penciled on about ten pages. Two pages have been opened haphazardly leaving a small chip along the edge of the page. A nice, clean copy of this scarce work. 159 pages. PSYCH/022613. Very Good.

[Elston Press] Milton, John

Samson Agonistes: A Dramatic Poem

New Rochelle, NY: Elston Press, 1904. Boards. 1 of 120 copies. The Elston Press was a short-lived venture by Clark Conwell and his wife, the designer Helen Marguerite O'Kane. It began in 1900 and closed in 1904. It was one of the several American presses of its time that was greatly influenced by The Kelmscott Press. This handsome book is printed in black and red with wood-cut decorations by H.M. O'Kane. Bound in blue paper boards with linen spine. Light bumping to corners and edges of boards. A few markings and darkening to boards with a small chip and marking to paper spine label. Interior pages are fresh and bright. Very good condition. 65 pages. PRI/040413. Very Good.

[Essex House Press]

Essex House Prospectus and Order Form for The Psalter or Psalms of David

London: Essex House Press, 1901. Ephemera. A 4 page bi-fold announcement from the Guild of Handicraft for the 16th book from the Essex House Press, The Psalter or Psalms of David. The prospectus describes it as the largest so far undertaken by the press, with Mr. Ashbee's new types, a new set of 40 historiated woodcut bloomers and ornaments. "It is further intended to serve as introducing the great Prayer Book of King Edward VII...upon which the ...Press is now engaged." Pages 2-3 include a list of books currently available and those forthcoming. The last page has an order form with instructions for those wanting special bindings. In very good plus condition. PRI/040213. Very Good+.

[Essex House Press] Ashbee, C.B.

American Sheaves and English Seed Corn. Being a Series of Addresses Mainly Delivered in the United States, 1900 - 1901

London: Essex House Press, 1901. Vellum. Number 89 of 300 copies. A lovely Essex House book, taken from lectures given by Ashbee on the English National Trust and conservation during a tour of the United States. A beautiful ornate initial opens each address, with the preface initial in red. Bound in original stiff vellum with gilt title on spine. Vellum is slightly bowed and spine a bit darkened but otherwise near fine. Interior pages are unopened and in fine condition. 134 pages. PRI/032613. Near Fine.

[Essex House Press] Ashbee, C. R., Edith Harwood

The Masques of the Edwards of England

London: Essex House Press, 1902. Hard Cover. 94 of 300 copies. A theater piece intended as a celebration of a coronation [doubtless intended for Edward VII who succeeded Queen Victoria in 1901]. Modern off-white linen binding with original title label laid down on front cover. Spotting to title label and a few small scuff marks to front cover. Printed in red and black inks on dark grey paper with multiple double page color illustrations by Harwood. Clean, bright interior. [50 pages]. PRI/042513. Very Good.

[Essex House Press] Fysher, Johan [Fisher] (compiler); C. R. Ashbee (printer and illustrator)

A Mornynge Remembraunce, Had at the Moneth Minde of the Noble Prynces Margarete Countesse of Richmonde & Darbye, Moder unto Kynge Henry the Seventh, and Grandame to Our Soveraign Lorde that Now is Upon Whose Soul Almightye God Have Mercy

London: Essex House Press, 1906. Hard Cover. Number 125 of 125 copies. Seven additional copies were printed on vellum. Woodcut frontispiece by C.R. Ashbee. Countess Margaret, mother of King Henry VIII, founded Christ College and John's College with the aid of Reverand Fisher. She helped Fisher become the tutor of Prince Henry when he was a boy and later he became the king's confidant. He wrote the attack on Luther which earned King Henry the Papal blessing as "Defendor of the faith," but later fell afoul of the King, was jailed in the Tower and beheaded. Very good in full green morocco boards with decorative floral devices on the front and rear boards. There are three raised bands ruled in gilt to the spine. The boards are slightly splayed and the spine is sunned. Red patterned endpages. Printed in red and black on handmade paper. A couple of small smudge marks to the interior, but overall very clean and bright. An attractive book. 85 pages. PRI/031613. Very Good.

[Essex House Press] Housman, Lawrence

Mendicant Rhymes

Chipping Camden: Essex House Press, 1906. Boards. 1 of 300 copies. An attractive copy of this book of Housman's poetry. Includes 43 poems. Bound in blue paper boards with vellum spine titled in gilt. Some bumping to corners, minor wear to edges, and slight darkening to boards but in very good condition. Interior is also very good, with offsetting to endpapers and ink gift inscription. 56 pages. PRI/040413. Very Good.