Boccace

1925 · 164153 — New York: Boni & Liveright 1925. With Tice's original etchings First Tice edition signed limited issue this copy uniquely if erratically illustrated with the issued half-tone plates replaced with Tice's original hand-captioned etchings and three of Tice's expurgated illustrations in two states one of which not called for in the list of illustrations. This is number 334 of 2000 copies signed by the publisher this copy is unusual in being also signed by Tice. Several of the explicit erotic illustrations Tice produced for this work were deemed too risqué for general publication and Tice was asked to redraw them for the final edition; some of them were never issued. This set includes three of these ribald plates alongside their censored replacements. We were able to trace only one other set with a number of these illustrations included though in that copy they were half-tone reproductions rather than original etchings as here. A deluxe issue of 12 sets with etchings was also produced and we have traced only one copy of it in auction records. The etchings in this set are hand-captioned by Tice with page numbers that differ from both their location and the printed illustration list suggesting that they may have been produced for Tice's own reference when working on the book's production. The set is accompanied by a suite of the removed half-tone illustrations and a second set of 22 of the 48 illustrations as etchings these uncaptioned excepting one captioned p. 36. One of the etchings is in two states: one with Tice's pencil signature the other with the signature engraved. Clara Tice 1888-1973 was a notorious New York bohemian artist known as "the Queen of Greenwich Village". She was according to the New York Times the first woman in New York to bob her hair and she began exhibiting her work there from 1910 rising to prominence in 1915 when the Society for the Prevention of Vice attempted to confiscate her works which were on show at the bohemian restaurant Polly's. "Tice was apparently so highly regarded and so instantly recognizable as one of those 'queer artists' that her role in the first Greenwich Village Follies was simply to play herself. As 'Clara' she stepped out onto the stage at the appointed time outfitted in one of her typically bizarre bohemian ensembles and conducted a 'quick chalk talk of nudes bees and butterflies'" Keller p. 429. Throughout the 1920s she contributed to Vanity Fair and other magazines and illustrated several books such as this with her softly erotic illustrations. 2 vols quarto. Half-tone frontispieces 2 half-tone plates 48 etched plates the majority hand-captioned by Tice of which 3 are in two states. Folding box with 22 additional etchings and 44 half-tone illustrations. Original black cloth spines lettered in gilt covers blocked in blind front covers with gilt oval portrait of Boccaccio as centrepiece yapp edges largely uncut. Additional etchings and half-tone illustrations in a repurposed green leather folding box labelled "Balzac's Droll Stories". Spines uniformly faded cloth lightly rubbed couple of corners worn splits to inner hinges remaining firm occasional browning or faint marks to margins generally clean with the plates in strong impression. A very good copy. Marie T. Keller "Clara Tice 'Queen of Greenwich Village'" Women in Dada ed. by Naomi Sawelson-Gorse 2001. hardcover