London: Chiswick Press [Privately printed], 1888. Paperback. First Edition. Scarce. Presentation copy inscribed "To F. Coylestone with best wishes T. Ashe Feb. 1888." Thomas Ashe (1836-1889) was a minor English poet who was admired by some, including Michael Field, but his work was not popular with his generation. He has risen far enough to be included in many recent anthologies of mid-to late- Victorian verse. In original paper wrappers. Covers stained, creased on right corner, and chipped along edges. Hinges tender but text block is tight and clean. Very good condition. 84 pages. POE/102714. Very Good. More

Toronto: Cheshire Cat Press, 2023. Hardcover. Number 20 of 42 copies. Signed by Tannenbaum, Richards, Malcolm, and Walker. Quarto. A parody of Lewis Carroll's "Hunting of the Snark", written during the COVID-19 quarantine, that involves an expedition to cure infectious diseases by procuring a tissue sample from the elusive Snark, which is said to have immunity to all germs. Unfortunately, all but one of the crew members takes ill and dies from one of the diseases they set out to cure. Includes the Snark Map and a table of diseased crew members. The author of the introduction, which discusses infectious diseases during Carroll's lifetime is Catherine Anne Richards (1963). She is a retired English paediatric surgeon with a passion for Carrollinia. The author of this parody, Alison Crane Tannenbaum (1946), is a neurobiologist that spent most of her career in biomedical research at the National Institute of Health. Bound in red cloth boards with leatherette title label to front cover and gilt title to spine. Printed in New Caledonia type on Velin BFK Rives paper by George Walker and Andy Malcolm. With wood engravings by Walker, made from end grain end grain maple wood. The engravings of each crew member are underprinted with engravings based on photographs of viruses, which were provided by the author. Housed in slipcase covered in same cloth as book with gilt titling to cover and spine. In fine condition. 54 pages. PRI/030923. Fine. More

Portland, OR: Anne Greenwood, 2016. Number 2 of 12 copies in the special edition portfolio signed and numbered by the book artist. There were also 138 copies of the chapbook. This beautiful and complex work was inspired by the poetry of the Portland poet and seamstress Hazel Hall (1886-1924) and pays homage to her to writings and resilience. She survived either scarlet fever or a fall at the age of 12 and used a wheelchair for the rest of her short life. The poems are republished by permission from The Collected Poems of Hazel Hall. From the colophon: "The special edition portfolio is made of crinoline; it is machine sewn, hand-dyed in fustic, and pressure-printed with machine-stitched text from poems originally written by Hall and then pieced together by Anne Greenwood. The chapbook cover is machine-stitching on crinoline; the under print is pressure-printed, hand-stitched embroidery with pochoir and the book is hand-bound using the pamphlet stitch. The decorations are hand-stitched embroidery sigils by Greenwood and Shannon Ayuyu pressure printed on washi paper. The tapestry is made of crinoline hand-dyed in madder, fustic, cochineal and indigo, with hand stitching and pochoir. The applique: the moon is pressure-printed, found, hand-made doily, and the poem Loneliness is written by Hall and printed with a polymer plate. The machine-stitched texts are cut-ups of Hazel Hall’s poetry made by Shannon Ayuyu and Anne Greenwood. The printing is all by Clare Carpenter (2016) in Portland, Oregon." Anne Greenwood is a well-known artist who has exhibited widely and whose works can be found in museum and library collections around the country. She was born on the high Dakota Plains and was led to an art degree by her artist grandmother. In 1990 she moved to Portland, Oregon and began her career as an artist and horticulturalist. Anne’s artwork explores an interest in folk art and speaks of her kinship with the natural world and how this influences her connection to daily life. In 2002, Anne set up a textiles studio integrating handwork, book arts, and textiles into an interdisciplinary practice. From Anne's artist's statement: "My artistic practice navigates an infinite network of connections: narrating the simple and complex, physical and ephemeral, past and present, within the context of place, history, and transformation. I form relationships that expand and fortify admiration and reverence, leading to the discovery of new truths about the world around us." When the tapestry is folded the work measures 8 x 12.25 inches. In fine condition. ARTISTB/031819. Fine. More

London: John W. Parker, 1856. Hardcover. First Edition. Author's presentation copy inscribed "John Brett with the kind regards of Coventry Patmore Sept. 24/1856. Brett, an associate of the Pre-Raphaelites did at least two portraits of Emily Andrews Patmore and one of Coventry Patmore himself. Coventry Patmore (1823-1896) was an English poet now best known for The Angel of the House, his narrative poem about the ideal happy marriage. This was published as volume II to The Angel, and In this work he eulogizes his deceased first wife, who inspired The Angel. With the book labels of collector Lafayette Butler and J.O. Edwards. Bound in original brown cloth with some bumping and chips to spine and spine label. Interior pages show some aging but still quite clean and legible. Very good condition. 182 pages. POE/071516. Very Good. More

London: William Rider and Son, Ltd, 1899. Hardcover. First Edition. This is the author's uncommon second book. Very good in original white parchment covered boards with gilt title to spine and front board. The elaborate gilt cover with floral and geometric design is by Gleeson White. Browning to spine and rubbing to spine and boards. Minor wear to joints. Signed by the previous owner in pen on the front pastedown; otherwise, the interior is clean. An attractive copy of a scarce book. 123 pages. POE/062910. Very Good. More

[Seattle]: Sea Pen Press, 1988. Hardcover. Number 97 of 100 copies. Signed by the author. Thomas Brush is an award winning Seattle poet who has written several books and for several distinguished journals. He tended bar for four years at a Seattle racetrack several years ago and found it an enchanted place that values possibilities and dreams. This influence is evident in the poems included in Even Money. This interesting production from the Sea Pen Press has a blue handmade light-and-shade watermarked paper covers that are sewn in a non-adhesive concertina fashion to the text. The orange and brown decorated endpapers were created by Neal Bonham of the press using colored paper pulps in a decorative technique that he developed. There are five linoleum cut illustrations by Suzanne Ferris that "capture the linear poetry of the thoroughbred world" (prospectus). The book also has images of racetrack betting tickets decorating the title page and colophon that were created by transferring Xerox images to linoleum. The text is printed in Monotype Janson and the title page is printed with Weiss Initial Series 2. The book is housed in a coarse tan linen covered clamshell box with blue borders and ticket images on the front cover. Both the book's binding and the case were designed and constructed by Judith L. Johnson. In fine condition. Book is 9 x 11.5 inches. Case measures 10.25 x 13 inches. Unpaginated [21 pages]. PRI/090717. Fine. More

London: Vale Press, 1901-1902. Ricketts, Charles. Hardcover. One of 310 copies, of which 187 copies were for sale in England and 100 in America. A beautiful representative production from the important Vale Press of Charles Ricketts. Volumes I and II were published in 1901, followed by Volume III in 1902. Bound in the original beige cloth boards with gilt titles to spines. Browning and discoloration to spines, minor fraying to head of spines, and minor foxing and soiling to covers. Printed on laid paper with elaborate title pages and decorative initials, all of which were designed by Ricketts. Most pages remain unopened. Very light browning to endpapers and page edges; otherwise, the interiors remain very clean and bright. Very good condition. Measures 5.75 x 9 inches. Each volume has approximately 200 pages. [Watry, The Vale Press p.163-164] PRI/112122. Very Good. More