Pictures from Italy
Greenbrae, CA: The Allen Press, 1982. Hardcover. One of 140 copies. The Allen Press was a private press founded in 1939 by Lewis and Dorothy Allen and based in the San Francisco Bay area. By 1980 they had completed 46 fine letterpress books. This book was their forty-seventh limited edition. They describe this book as a colorful, amusing and discerning account of Dicken's year-long sojourn in Italy, 18844-45, and a commendable classic in travel literature. At the age of thirty-two, already famous for The Pickwick Papers, Oliver Twist, and A Christmas Carol, Dickens leased a Genoa villa, from which he traveled throughout Italy. His letters written during his travels were collected later for this book, published in 1846. Bound in elegant full cloth binding with a red and white Fortuny fabric "Canestrelli." Printed on all-rag paper handmade especially for The Allen Press by the Richard de Bas mill in France. The type-faces are Italian Old Style Monotype and Deepdene italic for display. Protected by a clear vinyl jacket. Accompanied by the prospectus. In fine condition. Measures 7 x 10 inches. About 125 pages. PRI/032224. Fine. More