20 résultats
19158494Portland Maine: Thomas Bird Mosher 1915. First edition thus number 22 of 25 copies printed on Japan Vellum. 8vo 19x14cm v xvi 3 142 1pp. Two initials printed in red text printed within borders few leaves unopened. Bound in gilt stamped parchment boards and in near fine condition with bumped corners. In original plain paper jacket which shows toning and a few tears and housed in toned paper slipcase with two ownership signatures one being Primrose Rupp Hinton. <br /> <br /> Very scarce and beautiful Mosher printing on Japanese vellum. Sirenica is a 1913 novel by Leith which explores the myth of the Siren Song and the struggle by man for the unobtainable. <br /> <br /> <br /> This copy with an interesting ownership provenance from journalist Primrose Rupp Hinton who was longtime society editor for the Aberdeen Daily World in Aberdeen WA. . Thomas Bird Mosher unknown
19023402<p>F. Lumachi publisher. 1902. Florence. Full vellum limp with leather ties. This is a nice example of one of the Florence gift bindings done around the turn of the century. The front cover is hand painted titling and decoration in a fine hand. A slight bit of discoloration to the vellum otherwise a clean unmarked copy. Yapp edges all ties present.</p> F. Lumachi hardcover
195474499Philadelphia: American Dredging Company 1954. A lovely calligraphic memorial resolution calligraphed by by W. G. Strickland of Philadelphia. Octavo 6 3/4 x 9 1/2 inches. 6 leaves of vellum of which four bear the memorial versos only. Capitals done in gilt and blue. Opening leaf elaborately decorated. Final leaf signed by each Member of the Board. Original black pebbled morocco gilt turn-ins white moire silk doublures matching slipcase. An excellent example of this form of the Golden Watch.The American Dredging Company of Philadelphia began operations in 1867 and soon became the largest dredging company in the country. E. Homan Stroud joined the company in 1904 and rose through the ranks to become its president in 1944. He died on June 24 1954 and this memorial was dated the day after. Apparently there were two copies as it states near the rear that a copy shall be given to his widow. [American Dredging Company] hardcover
1928120551928. Original illuminated large manuscript page on vellum comprising a central panel of calligraphic text in red and black ink with a miniature of a young herald surrounded by a decorative border of larger armorial shields set within a stylised foliate background in blue red green and gilt with a fine miniature of a knight’s tournament at the foot. 41 x 25.5cm. Mounted on card with ink title to the head: “Illuminated page on vellum. / Testimony of study for Board of Education Exam in industrial design 1928.†In very good condition.WITH: Two further pencil drawings by the same artist the first of an elderly gentleman the second of a classical sculpture measuring 57.5 x 38cm and 56 x 39cm respectively each signed “Bate†and dated 1927. The pencil drawings have a few short tears to the edges otherwise they are in very good condition. A fine example of 1920s illumination hardcover
1937ST21066London: William Heinemann Limited 1937. FIRST EDITION. Book: 245 x 152 mm. 9 3/4 x 6"; Case: 330 x 235 mm. 13 x 9 1/4". 3 p.l. 34 pp. <br/> LOVELY CONTEMPORARY STIFF VELLUM GILT AND PAINTED covers with delicate gilt frame sprays of flower and leaves at each corner outlined in gilt and painted blue and green central lozenge outlined in gilt dots and framed by painted flowers and leaves a large initial "A" in gilt at center smooth spine divided into compartments with gilt and painted floral ornament turn-ins with gilt floral roll sky blue silk endleaves all edges gilt. Housed in a fine oversized blue morocco case designed to look like a book with gilt lettering on the upper cover raised bands gilt ruled compartments and lettering to spine the interior constructed and padded to hold the smaller book and lined with blue velvet spine of case a bit sunned corners a little rubbed clasp no longer functional. A FINE COPY clean and fresh internally in a pristine binding.<br/> <br/> With very considerable visual and tactile appeal this is a gracefully bound copy of the the final book of verse issued by Richard Aldington published before he turned exclusively to writing prose. A leading poet of the early 20th-century Imagist school Aldington né Edward Godfree Aldington 1892-1962 was a prolific writer whose 50-year career produced novels biographies translations and literary criticism as well as sharp minimalist free verse. He was part of the contemporary London avant-garde crowd being close friends with Ezra Pound T. S. Eliot Amy Lowell and D. H. Lawrence; and he was especially close to the poet H. D. Hilda Doolittle his first wife from 1913-38. As literary editor of the leading Modernist periodical "The Egoist" he was an integral part of the pre-World War I literary scene and his first largely autobiographical work "Death of a Hero" 1929 was considered by George Orwell and Lawrence Durrell to be the best of the English Great War novels. The poems here were written in the mid-1930s when Aldington had decamped to the United States after the woman he loved Netta Patmore rejected his proposal of marriage. While tracing his grief and longing the verses also build the image of a "crystal world" created by the love of an ardent couple concluding that "Only from the purity of extreme passion / And alas the purity of extreme pain / Can you build the crystal world." Happily Aldington's beloved Netta to whom the work is dedicated reversed her decision and agreed in 1938 to help him build their crystal world together. The present lovely binding is unsigned but the delicate precise tooling and elegant design indicate the work of very talented hands. The romantic contents and the rather feminine aspect of the binding suggest that this was a gift from one lover to another perhaps a recipient sharing the initial "A" with our author. And the oversized and extravagant custom case indicates how much this object was treasured. William Heinemann Limited unknown
190273377London: Edwin Arnold 1902. Limited to 165 numbered copies on vellum at the Essex House Press under C. R. Ashbee. Small octavo. 45 1 pp. Hand-colored frontispiece and two full-page hand-colored illustrations and eighty-five hand-colored ornamental letters by Edith Harwood. Tail-piece. Caslon type. Publisher's vellum with rose and gilt lettering to front cover. Bit of natural mottling to vellum. Custom folding cloth chemise and slipcase. A very good copy.Great Poems Series No. 6. "In 1886 C.R. Ashbee established the Guild of Handicraft at Essex House London. Around the same time Ashbee created the Essex House Press. The Essex House Press published its first book in 1898. The work of the press was very much a part of the Arts and Crafts Movement. Ashbee continually linked the aims of the press with those of John Ruskin and William Morris and described the object of the movement as “making useful things…making them well and…making them beautiful.†The critics however were not so sure about the work of Essex House Press calling it “articraftiness.†Later booklovers came to admire much of its work. Some of the presses and some of the workmen for Essex House Press came from the Kelmscott Press after its demise in 1897 following the death of William Morris. Ashbee designed his own typeface called “Endeavor†for the press. In 1902 the press moved to Glouscestershire. The Essex House Press closed in 1910 having produced more than seventy titles." Univ. of Utah Edwin Arnold hardcover
1904ST20796London: Essex House Press 1904. No. 1 OF 140 COPIES all on vellum. 195 x 131 mm. 7 3/4 x 5 1/8". 1 p.l. frontispiece 3-11 2 pp. <br/> Original stiff vellum over thin boards front cover with embossed rose design. In custom-made linen clamshell box with red morocco label on spine. Hand-colored woodcut frontispiece and final tailpiece both by Reginald Savage hand-painted initials in burnished gold red blue or green. Printed in black and red. Front pastedown with red morocco bookplate of William Andrews Clark Jr.; front endleaves with evidence of bookplate and inscription removal. Tomkinson p. 76; Ransom p. 268; Franklin p. 200. A VERY FINE COPY clean bright and free of the splaying that very frequently afflicts the boards of this work.<br/> <br/> This is a most appealing example of the luxurious hand-crafted volumes produced under the auspices of the Essex House Press with our copy coming from the library of a noted Dryden collector. The book is the 11th from the Essex House series of 14 "Great Poems in the English Language" a group of lovely little works all printed on vellum and with delightful colored illustrations and historiated initials. Generally considered to be the best example in English of the choric hymn the present work is set at a feast given by Alexander the Great who finds himself entranced by the poet and lyrist Timotheus. The great leader is lost in reveries of exploits and victory he sighs and cries over battles lost and warriors slain and he finds inspiration for new conquests. Our printer C. R. Ashbee founded the Essex House Press in 1898 by purchasing the presses and other production equipment though not the type formerly owned by the Kelmscott Press which had shut down at the death of William Morris. Ashbee printed books for 12 years with vellum ink and paper identical to that used by Kelmscott in an effort to carry on the tradition Morris had established. But the Essex House Press because it was conceived of and continued as part of a larger enterprise involving various artisans at work in a group of workshops at Ashbee's Guild of Handicrafts located at Essex House in London's Mile End Road always had its own special identity a fact which Cave reflects when he calls it the "Arts and Crafts press 'par excellence.'" The illustrator here Reginald Savage fl. 1886-1904 is deemed by Houfe "a talented and imaginative designer and woodcut artist" and Houfe notes that he was also commended by his fellow illustrator Walter Crane 1845-1915 for his "weird designs." Former owner William Andrews Clark Jr. 1877-1934 put together one of the most distinguished collections of English and French literature of his day. He had strong holdings in many areas but especially in Shakespeare and the other Elizabethans in Dryden in Oscar Wilde and in the French drama. After a fire in his home in 1923 Clark constructed a separate fireproof building to house his collection; in 1926 this library building with its distinguished collection was deeded to the University of California and now serves as a prominent center for literary research. Essex House Press unknown
1910ST14374England ca. 1910. 392 x 287 mm. 15 3/8 x 11 1/4". 32 leaves with text in an attractive italic hand all separated by tissue guards. <br/> SUMPTUOUS OLIVE GREEN STRAIGHT-GRAIN MOROCCO ELABORATELY GILT BY ZAEHNSDORF stamp-signed on front doublure and with their exhibition stamp on rear turn-in covers with densely stippled floral roll border enclosing a large frame formed by drawer handle tools and floral tools on a stippled ground; central panel with large cornerpieces rampant with flower tools circlets volutes and much stippling; raised bands spine compartments heavily gilt in a similar style gilt titling RED MOROCCO DOUBLURES with opulent dentelle frame surrounded by gilt-tooled green morocco turn-ins red watered silk endleaves with gilt edging all edges gilt.ma WITH 76 BLACK & WHITE PHOTOGRAPHIC REPRODUCTIONS OF PORTRAIT MINIATURES BY RICHARD COSWAY ANDREW PLIMER AND OTHERS mounted and enclosed by hand-painted burnished gold frames EACH PORTRAIT WITH HAND-ILLUMINATED TITLE in red blue green and burnished gold. Verso of front endleaf with book label of Thomas Agnew & Sons Old Bond Street Library. A bit of wear to front joint a little rubbing to extremities occasional mild rumpling to head or tail of vellum leaves isolated small marginal smudges otherwise a fine specimen the vellum creamy and bright the illuminations shining and the binding quite sound and lustrous with gold.<br/> <br/> Composed of vellum leaves this is a unique luxurious catalogue of a miniatures collection with delicate script lovely illumination and a stately binding by one of London's foremost workshops. State-of-the-art photographic reproductions of mostly 18th century miniatures are juxtaposed here with calligraphy and illuminations harking back to Medieval bookmaking. Each portrait is surrounded by a gold frame and accompanied by a hand-written description with an illuminated title giving biographical details of known subjects and a physical description of the miniatures whenever they are labelled simply "Portrait of a Lady" or "Portrait of a Gentleman." The scale of this production--which is nearly twice the size of most illuminated manuscripts of the early 20th century--and the splendor of the binding point to a patron of considerable means likely either the proprietors of or a client of the Agnew art dealers. The Agnew firm began as printsellers in Manchester in 1817 but over the course of the 19th century became one of the principal British galleries under the leadership of the founder's son William. A London branch opened in 1860 and the Bond Street flagship in 1875. William Agnew 1825-1910 did much to foster the careers of British artists Holman Hunt Frederick Leighton and Edward Burne-Jones and his clients included Henry Tate whom he encouraged to found the celebrated Tate Gallery. The binding here is a superb example of the work of the Zaehnsdorf firm long a top-ranked English bindery. Born in Pest Hungary Joseph Zaehnsdorf 1816-86 served his apprenticeship in Stuttgart worked at a number of European locations as a journeyman and then settled in London where he was hired first by Westley and then by Mackenzie before opening his own workshop in 1842. His son and namesake took over the business at age 33 when the senior Joseph died and the firm flourished under the son's leadership becoming a leading West End bindery. Over the years Zaehnsdorf employed a considerable number of distinguished binders including the Frenchman Louis Genth who was chief finisher from 1859-84 and trained a number of others including Roger de Coverly and Sarah Prideaux. A family-run business until 1947 the Zaehnsdorf bindery continued to produce consistently attractive and innovative designs executed with unfailing skill. It is generally understood that the firm reserved the use of its oval stamp showing a binder at work seen here for their finest bindings including those entered in exhibitions. unknown
1909ST16339Paris: Bouasse-Lebel et Marrin ca. 1909. 188 x 140 mm. 7 3/8 x 5 1/2". 72 pp.; 1 leaf miniature; XXXII pp. <br/> Tasteful contemporary olive green crushed morocco each cover WITH A CENTRAL RECESSED PANEL OF MODELLED AND PAINTED LEATHER that on the upper cover with a portrait of the Virgin Mary within an arched frame of acanthus leaves that on the lower cover with the coat of arms of the Deburghgraeve family. With text and decorations lithographed featuring decorative borders and initials throughout those on 55 pages COLORED AND ILLUMINATED BY HAND many of these in a Medieval or Renaissance style others with Japanese or Greek motifs with a small hand-painted miniature of the Crucifixion against a golden sky and WITH A FULL-PAGE HAND-PAINTED MINIATURE showing the Flight into Egypt within a decorative border featuring vignettes of a peasant gathering wood and a knight in armor praying. With a hand-painted ribbon bookmark "Souvenir de ma 1ère Communion" dated 6 June 1909; carbon copy of a poem "A la Memoire de ma tres chere et regrettee cousine Mathilde Deburghgraeve-Canal" by Lucy Salze-Bouchet dated February 1945 this with short curving tear into one margin. Just the most trivial signs of wear but A VERY FINE COPY the vellum leaves quite clean and very bright with shining decorations and the binding lustrous and virtually unworn.<br/> <br/> Luxuriously lithographed on vellum handsomely bound and illuminated and painted by hand in vibrant colors this charming prayer book was obviously treasured by its owners--the first of whom may have been a young lady who received it on the occasion of her First Communion. The text and decorations here have been reproduced lithographically from a manuscript of the period being printed apparently by Bouasse-Lebel et Massin--a company specializing in devotional prints and books. The firm's name appears in very small letters at various places in the volume. Each leaf contains a different border design inspired by Medieval and Renaissance manuscripts as well as artwork from around the world in a pleasing pastiche of Western Egyptian Japanese Indian and Grecian motifs. Many of the borders have been hand-colored and present an array of distinct palettes usually richly hued which adds greatly to the book's appeal and the viewer's sense of discovery from page to page. The bespoke binding featuring the Madonna in profile beautifully modelled in leather adds another element of luxury to the book. The coat of arms suggests that it was made for a member of the Deburghgraeve family and the laid-in poem suggests that it remained with them through the death of the family's matriarch Mathilde Deburghgraeve-Canal in 1944. We know that Mathilde had three daughters all born around the turn of the century; based on the presence of a bookmark commemorating a First Communion in 1909 it is likely that the original recipient was among these three young ladies. Bouasse-Lebel was established in 1845 by Eulalie Bouasse-Lebel 1809-98 as a means of supporting herself and her children following the dissolution of her marriage. Though founded under difficult circumstances Bouasse-Lebel became a very successful enterprise and even earned a papal commendation in 1871 for consistently excellent work. The company was highly regarded for the quality and delicacy of their productions of which the present work is a choice example. Although individual religious cards printed by Bouasse-Lebel show up fairly frequently far scarcer are complete books in the estimable condition seen here--particularly those with the kind of deluxe upgrades that make this particular item so desirable. Bouasse-Lebel et Marrin unknown
1944ST19310Sheffield England December 1944. 265 x 215 mm. 10 1/2 x 8 1/2". 6 leaves illuminated on rectos final leaf also illuminated on verso with colophon. <br/> VERY ATTRACTIVE DARK BLUE MOROCCO GILT stamped-signed "Bound by Slinn" on front pastedown upper cover with monogram of Edwin Goddard Stokes framed by gilt-ruled compartments containing gilt lettering elaborate gilt foliage and a gilt crown tool at top the panel surrounded by a double gilt rule frame and dogtooth roll border with additional foliate tools rear cover with quatrefoil design in floral tools and pointillé dogtooth roll border smooth spine with gilt-ruled compartments. In a rather worn felt-lined brown paper wallet case with handwritten titling on spine. Each recto with one or two large two- to three-line initials either painted or gilt TITLE PAGE WITH A FULL BORDER and others with a large complex border all of them elaborately painted with a variety of patterns styles motifs and with gilt embellishments one border incorporating three coats of arms AND ANOTHER PAGE WITH A QUARTER-PAGE MINIATURE OF A KNIGHT ON HORSEBACK. Trivial wear at top of front joint otherwise in pristine condition.<br/> <br/> This is a charming modern illuminated manuscript penned during WWII that contains two excerpts from Shakespeare in praise of "this other Eden demi-paradise" called England--specifically passages from John of Gaunt's dying speech in "King Richard II" and lines from "King John." As stated in the colophon the manuscript "was Designed Written out and Illuminated by John Wilfred Clarke of Ecclesall Sheffield for his great friend Edwin Goddard Stokes of Ringinglow Sheffield." Clarke d. 1954 was a municipal engineer and town planner by trade professions for which skill in the visual arts particularly draftsmanship is not only preferred but required. He was clearly a talented amateur with a flair for pattern and design. Though he incorporates elements found in Medieval manuscripts--trailing ivy leaves penwork decoration tessellation and line enders--the style is at the same time modern utilizing bold color combinations and layered shapes and patterns. Given the artist's location it is quite possible that he was involved with the Sheffield School of Art which was founded in 1843 and offered classes in fine arts and crafts. We know that the binder Walter Slinn d. 1964 was a staff member at the school as well as a prominent local bookbinder. Nationalistic sentiments are made clear in the choice of material celebrating England in Shakespeare's voice and this manuscript is all the more poignant when seen in the context of its time and place. Sheffield an industrial city was a major producer of steel and armaments during WWII --and thus a high-value target for German air raids. The so-called "Sheffield Blitz" of 1940 resulted in hundreds of deaths and nearly 80000 damaged homes. In December of 1944 when this manuscript was completed the end of the war was not yet in sight. Despite the bleak circumstances the manuscript radiates color light and hope. The recipient of Clarke's attractive manuscript was Edwin Goddard Stokes 1902 - ca. 1957 one of the sons of the prominent Sheffield businessman Robert James Stokes founder of R. J. Stokes & Co. a tile company that still flourishes in the city now. It is clear that this item was carefully looked after by this "great friend" of the artist. So far as we have been able to determine Clarke is an unrecorded artist except for the present Shakespeare work and one other similar manuscript featuring excerpts from Chaucer now in Stanford University Library. unknown
1907ST16456Birmingham 1907. 312 x 275 mm. 12 3/8 x 10 3/4". 16 leaves illuminated on rectos only. <br/> Pleasing original full vellum over bevelled boards covers ruled in gilt and with gilt crosses in each corner gilt lettering on upper cover smooth spine gilt rules dividing compartments with central gilt cross thick vellum turn-ins ruled in gilt bright purple silk endpapers front joint very expertly repaired. Calligraphic lettering mostly in black green and red a few one-line initials and many three-line initials in blue or purple with red penwork several slightly larger purple or blue initials infilled with ivy of various colors and dotted with gold EACH PAGE WITH A DIFFERENT ARTS & CRAFTS-INSPIRED FLORAL BORDER consisting of multi-colored blossoms and acanthus as well as meandering vine-stems and highlighted with gold bezants or stippled gold ONE LEAF WITH A 90 MM. INITIAL INHABITED BY A REALISTIC CATHEDRAL INTERIOR the large lettering below it on a gold ground with etched patterns and painted purple ivy leaves the text and the initial surrounded by pink roses green leaves and thorny vines. ◆Corners a bit bumped vellum with a few shallow scratches slightly soiled in a few places other minor signs of use but the binding still quite clean and attractive; perhaps a hint of thumb-soiling to margins of a couple leaves but the contents in nearly perfect condition.<br/> <br/> This is a beautiful and engaging manuscript with imaginative illuminations by the little-known but extremely talented illuminator calligrapher and cartographer Ernest Costain Clegg 1876-1954. The text here reproduces the Great Litany of the Church of England derived from the Book of Common Prayer and composed of short divine petitions. Each leaf contains a different and unique border featuring stylized floral motifs often with curving vines encircling the text and a cheerful color palette consisting of clear pastels that beautifully offset the darker inks used in the text. The generous use of gold on the first leaf of text and gilt details throughout the borders provide a dimension of luxury without overshadowing the prayers themselves. Clegg draws on the Medieval tradition of manuscript illumination but this work also shows the influence of the Arts & Crafts movement of the 19th century especially in the beautiful initial inhabited by a realistic Cathedral interior pierced with light--a feature that invites comparison with the superlative work of Alberto Sangorski. But Clegg's reliance on a variety of floral decoration in his borders makes this manuscript more feminine than the typical work of Sangorski. Ernest Clegg entered the military in his early twenties serving in the Boer War 1899-1902 then returned to England to train at the Birmingham School of Art. In 1909 he went to work for Tiffany's of New York as a jewelry designer. Clegg also served in the English forces during the First World War; afterwards in America his popularity in the veteran community led to more commissions and a thriving artistic career. Clegg is perhaps best known for illustrating the poem "In Flanders Fields" written by John McCrae but he also found success as a cartographer producing among other works a well-known map of Charles Lindbergh's flight across the Atlantic in 1927. unknown
1915ST17129-042Chicago: Written and Illuminated for The Renaissance Society ca. 1915. 216 x 153 mm. 8 1/2 x 6". ii 28 pp. 1 leaf colophon. Single column 18 lines in an attractive calligraphic hand. <br/> VERY PRETTY VIOLET CRUSHED MOROCCO GILT AND INLAID for The Renaissance Society stamp-signed in gilt on front doublure smooth spine with gilt titling FULL MOROCCO DOUBLURES consisting of a green morocco panel framed by purple morocco with gilt dots and scrolling floral motifs at each corner each with an inlaid white morocco flower cream-colored watered silk endleaves. In a lavender buckram chemise and matching purple morocco-backed slipcase with raised bands and gilt lettering. With many one-line initials in pink each leaf with a different two- to four-line initial in a different style with both painted and gilt elements and exuberantly decorated most leaves with a panel or "L"-shaped border ranging from simple lines to elaborate decorative bars a few borders with small landscapes and a total of FOUR FIGURAL SCENES decorative title page with colorful initials lettering and decorative flourishes text beginning with A HALF-PAGE MINIATURE OF ST. JEROME AT HIS DESK surrounded by A FULL BORDER of flowers gilt detailing and stylized heads of putti all by Louis Bauhan. Front free endpaper with bookplate of Phoebe Boyle. Leather with a slight chalky appearance silk endleaves starting to fray at fore edge a few leaves with a hint of waviness but THE MANUSCRIPT IN BEAUTIFUL CONDITION the vellum entirely clean and the paint especially bright and fresh.<br/> <br/> Exuberantly decorated by a major illustrator of the period this manuscript was commissioned and bound for The Renaissance Society of Chicago before making its way into the superb collection of American bibliophile Phoebe Boyle. The text here comes from a poem by "Atlantic Monthly" writer and editor Thomas Bailey Aldrich 1836-1907 imagining the agony and the ecstasy of St. Jerome as he sat down to write his translation of the Bible. The illumination though certainly inspired by the decorative programs of Medieval manuscripts is decidedly modern in appearance drawing on the Art Nouveau movement and utilizing bold color combinations and whimsical design motifs. It is not clear why the illustrator here Louis Bauhan 1855-1941 has used the ananym "Siuol Na-Huab" because there is no reason to hide responsibility for producing the clean elegant script the imaginative marginal decoration and the finished human and animal images that enliven the manuscript. Bauhan was a very successful painter and illustrator perhaps best known to the public as art editor of "Cosmopolitan Magazine" under John Brisben Walker who edited and published the magazine from 1889 to 1905. In 1881 Bauhan helped to found the Kit-Kat Club of New York a bohemian artists' and cultural association; he was persistently in demand as a book illustrator; and among other things he painted landscapes and portraits in oil. The colophon here states that the manuscript was written and illuminated for The Renaissance Society--an artistic group associated with the University of Chicago whose mission was to cultivate and promote modern art--and it was given an appropriately luxurious binding by the same organization. The manuscript was obviously valued highly enough to join the collection of Phoebe A. D. Boyle a client George Sutcliffe described as "rivalling the Medici in her patronage of the production of beautiful books." Shepherd "The Cinderella of the Arts" p. 63 Stephen Ratcliffe describes the Boyle collection as "unrivalled" for its jewelled bindings and modern illuminated manuscripts and any book from the Boyle collection which was put together with the greatest taste and discrimination is recognized as desirable beyond its intrinsic literary merit. Written and Illuminated for The Renaissance Society unknown
1939ST17129-020Wimbledon Surrey September 1939. 373 x 255 mm. 14 3/4 x 10". 12 vellum leaves seven with text and illuminations. Single column approximately 30 lines in a fine calligraphic hand. <br/> Attractive contemporary dark blue crushed morocco covers with gilt and blind rules raised bands with gilt rules gilt-ruled turn-ins vellum pastedowns. Text in blue black green and red a few lines with larger lettering in gilt several two-line initials in colored ink five two-line initials in red or blue with floral decorations opening pages with eight two-line initials in gold the lines here of a larger size than rest of text six three-line initials in gold filled and surrounded by floral decoration three four- to six-line gilt initials with more intricate floral decorations one of these with gilt stippling and two surrounded by a gilt frame and ONE VERY LARGE 80 x 45 mm GILT "B" decorated with stippling filled with two-tone green leaves pink flowers and large gold bezants. First leaf with ink inscription "Presented by Dr. W J Pearson / in appreciation of the work of / Ashridge Hospital 1939-1946"; two silk guards. Boards with a hint of soiling but A BEAUTIFUL MANUSCRIPT IN OUTSTANDING CONDITION the paint lovely and bright and the gold sparkling.<br/> <br/> This beautifully executed manuscript by a notable female calligrapher and illuminator features the oft-quoted and much-loved biblical text known as the "Sermon on the Mount" in which Matthew relates various moral teachings attributed to Christ. The text is written in an extremely pleasing and regular upright script throughout but the first opening listing the nine Beatitudes in capital letters is especially striking. Opening with the largest and most attractive initial in the manuscript it begins with "Blessed are the poor in spirit" in prominent gilt lettering; this is followed by the other blessings each beginning with a smaller gilt "B" initial written entirely in blue capital letters. The rest of the text penned primarily in black ink but accented with cheerful gilt initials and occasional colored lettering exudes a sense of order and simple elegance befitting the contents. Illuminator and calligrapher Violet Wilson was born in Wimbledon in 1902. She studied calligraphy under Claire G. M. Evans who had been a pupil of Graily Hewitt known for his work with the Ashendene Press and one of the principal British calligraphers and teachers of lettering in the first half of the 20th century. Wilson became a member of the Society of Scribes and Illuminators in the U.K. in the 1930s. The San Francisco Public Library has examples of her work in its Harrison Collection of Calligraphy and another illuminated copy of the "Sermon on the Mount" made in 1957 was included in the Baltimore Art Museum's 1965 exhibition and catalogue titled "Two Thousand Years of Calligraphy." The catalogue entry no. 213 notes that Wilson preferred to work on books and decorative maps and exhibited her work in many countries. According to the presentation inscription in the present work this manuscript was given to Ashridge Hospital--formerly a monastery and royal residence--by the distinguished physician Dr. Wilfred John Pearson 1884-1957 who had headed one of the London sectors of the Emergency Medical Service during World War II. His obituary in the "British Medical Journal" declared him "one of the striking figures of his time.". unknown
1982ST16482Bayreuth: Printed by Chr. Scheufele Offizin Stuttgart for Bear Press 1982. No. 1 OF 10 COPIES ON VELLUM plus a "special" edition of 25 copies and 185 copies on Kochi Japanese paper. 223 x 148 mm. 8 7/8 x 5 3/4". 50 pp. 2 leaves.Translated and with an afterword by Wolfram Benda. <br/> Publisher's fine burgundy morocco by Erwin Lehr upper cover with gilt rose in recessed square flat spine with gilt titling turn-ins with gilt fillet frame pale yellow silk pastedowns. In the original burgundy suede slipcase. With three large initials in burnished gold and four signed and numbered original etchings by Peter Klitsch. Printed in red and black. Signed in the colophon by the artist the binder and the publisher/translator. In mint condition.<br/> <br/> This is the splendid deluxe version of a finely crafted private press edition of Wilde's fairy tales "The Nightingale and the Rose" "The Happy Prince" and "The Selfish Giant." It is the third work issued by the Bear Press founded in 1979 by literary scholar Wolfram Benda and still in operation. According to the firm's website "at a time when the craftsmanship and ethos of the artisan in bookmaking have been damaged by ever-increasing industrialization and neglect . . . The Bear Press . . . tries to achieve the highest possible degree of technical and artistic perfection in its printed works." The font used to print the text and the artist chosen to illustrate each work are carefully selected to express "the individual author's personality and intention." Even the discriminating aesthete Wilde 1854-1900 would be pleased with the choices here especially for the luxurious vellum printing: the type is set in refined Walbaum Antiqua and shown off with special effect by the creamy leaves; the etchings by Austrian artist Peter Klitsch b. 1934 are meticulous detailed and reminiscent of the work of Wilde's friend Aubrey Beardsley; and the binding is the epitome of tasteful restraint flawlessly executed with premium materials. <br /> <br /> The three tales here first appeared in 1888 and are bittersweet in their themes of love and self-sacrifice. His stories for children were one of Wilde's early successes and DNB notes "Their permanent place in child affections refutes the vulgarism that Wilde's literary reputation arose from his legal notoriety. In all cases the fairy tales are on the child's side celebrating the courage and generosity of the poor and vulnerable while their satire mocks the kind of pomposity and hypocrisy children can recognize." We have been able to trace just two other copies of the vellum printing at auction in ABPC and RBH. [Printed by Chr. Scheufele Offizin, Stuttgart, for] Bear Press unknown
1902ST20771New Rochelle: Printed by the University Press for George D. Sproul 1902. No. 23 OF 30 COPIES 18 for America 12 for Europe; this copy illuminated for Herman A. Metz of the "St. Dunstan Edition" all of them PRINTED ON VELLUM. 270 x 210 mm. 10 5/8 x 8 3/8". 50 leaves last blank. <br/> SUMPTUOUS COBALT BLUE MOROCCO GILT AND INLAID TO AN ARABESQUE DESIGN BY TRAUTZ-BAUZONNET stamp-signed on front doublure covers framed in gilt and inlaid brown morocco blossoms central panel of azure blue morocco outlined in brown morocco large central medallion enclosed in brown morocco and inlaid with an eight-pointed inlaid and gilt fleuron each corner with tan and ivory morocco medallion with gilt "T" at center outlined in brown morocco the spaces between the medallions with curling gilt flourishes raised bands spine compartments with gilt lettering framed by sprays of gilt berries SKY BLUE MOROCCO DOUBLURES inlaid with darker blue squares containing an ivory morocco polygon these forming a frame around a central taupe morocco panel with inlaid blue morocco flowers at corners vellum free endleaves painted with a simple blue frame small flowers at each corner all edges gilt. BEAUTIFULLY ILLUMINATED BY ROSS TURNER the title page and final page with heraldic emblems and WITH 51 LOVELY INITIALS in a range of hues 22 with delicate extensions. Printed entirely in majuscules on rectos only. A couple of small faint water spots to upper board with slight dulling where someone tried to fix these naturally occurring variations in the grain and color of the vellum otherwise A FINE COPY--the vellum creamy and smooth the colors and gilt bright and the binding lustrous.<br/> <br/> A bookmaking tour-de-force this item is part of the remarkable St. Dunstan series of famous works of literature produced at the turn of the century in very strictly limited and particularly luxurious editions by publisher George Sproul. Named for the English bishop Dunstan 909-88 who was known for his skills as an illuminator the St. Dunstan volumes were printed on vellum illuminated by different artists and then put into bindings of striking design executed by Trautz-Bauzonnet one of the premier French binders of the period. While the physical properties of this volume announce themselves more emphatically than the text the narrative here is from Tennyson's "Idylls of the King" a work Day tells us in which the legend of King Arthur is used "to establish the Victorian virtues of marital faithfulness fair play gentlemanly conduct and useful action for self and society." "Guinevere" sets forth the consequences of marital infidelity presenting a penitent queen now withdrawn to a convent groveling for Arthur to pardon her affair with Lancelot. Although the injured king grants her forgiveness he does so with little grace appearing to modern readers as "insufferably self-righteous." Day Reminiscent of the designs used in 15th century illuminated books the painted initials in our volume are well executed and attractive combining fluid shapes and consonant combinations of colors and the binding is a singularly elaborate achievement. German-born binder Georges Trautz 1807-79 apprenticed in Heidelberg Stuttgart and Witemberg before arriving in Paris in 1803. There he trained in “dorure†with the skilled gilder Debès learning to create intricate gilt designs on bindings. In 1833 he was hired as a doreur by Bauzonnet the successor to the celebrated Purgold and soon achieved acclaim for his beautifully gilded bindings. According to Michon he was "the uncontested master of the luxury binding" in 19th century France celebrated for his "sumptuous moroccos" and "dazzling gilt." His bindings were so sought after that the term "Trautzolâtrie" was coined to describe the craze for his work. In 1869 he became the first bookbinder to be named a chevalier of the Legion of Honor. The culmination and termination of the St. Dunstan books was a planned edition of 15 sets of the complete works of Dickens projected to contain 130 large folio volumes—surely the most ambitious undertaking in the history of modern American fine printing. Five volumes only comprising most of "Pickwick" were produced before the grandeur of the project overwhelmed its sponsors. Potter says that in addition to the Dickens edition the St. Dunstan series comprised a dozen volumes of the works of various authors one of them the present Tennyson issued to subscribers at the spectacular amount of $12000 per set. One of the subscribers was our original owner New York chemical manufacturer and U.S. Congressman Herman A. Metz 1867-1934. Not surprisingly this strictly limited "Guinevere" is quite rare: We could trace just two copies at auction since 1975 one of them ours sold in 1998.  . [Printed by the University Press for] George D. Sproul unknown
1925ST16974Flensburg ca. 1925. 325 x 240 mm. 12 7/8 x 9 1/2". 4 p.l. first two blank 4 leaves 144 pp. 4 leaves last blank. Single column 31 lines in a fine calligraphic hand. <br/> FLAMBOYANT DEEP RED MOROCCO ELABORATELY INLAID AND GILT BY W. A. PETERSEN stamp-signed on rear turn-in covers framed by inlaid white morocco strip tooled with gilt triangles enclosing sides in a bead-and-lozenge pattern of gilt-outlined mandorlas containing a red cross on a blue background alternating with an inlaid white lozenge upper cover with brass and enamel cornerpieces featuring the symbols of the four Evangelists each of these set with a colored glass gem central panel divided into four compartments each containing a small star tool central brass and enamel medallion with a six-pointed star emblazoned with a sun and a red enamel "Y" two straps with brass and enamel clasps marked with Alpha and Omega lower cover with brass cornerpieces raised bands spine with gilt-ruled compartments turn-ins tooled with plain and dotted gilt rules and gilt stars deep pink moiré silk doublures shot with gold thread all edges gilt. In a box with a velvet-lined maroon buckram base and green marbled paper lid. With many initials of various sizes painted blue red green purple maroon or gilt three three-line initials in gold on a colored ground with the shape of a cross one two-line initial and 13 four- to six-line initials in gold on a multi-colored ground in a geometric design SEVEN HISTORIATED INITIALS each measuring seven to 11 lines in length FIVE MINIATURES MEASURING A THIRD TO THREE-QUARTERS OF THE PAGE each featuring a scene from the life of the Virgin or the life of Christ SIX FULL-PAGE ILLUMINATIONS incorporating text of different sizes and fonts many colors and patterns five of which contain a large central gilt circle the first of these completely filled with gold the others with a religious symbol in pen on bare vellum every page with a unique border composed of a thin frame with different geometric designs in gold and color some pages with an additional column of floral and foliate designs running down the left side of the text within the border plus additional flourishes elsewhere. Text in multiple sizes and fonts occasional words or phrases penned in color or gold. Boards somewhat bowed as often with bindings on vellum works occasional naturally occurring variations in the grain of the vellum a few instances of faint thumb smudging in corners but A BEAUTIFUL MANUSCRIPT IN ESPECIALLY FINE CONDITION the vellum smooth and fresh the illuminations shimmering and the binding unworn.<br/> <br/> Replete with gold illumination and bright colors evoking the appearance of Medieval manuscripts and stained glass this is an exquisitely produced work relating the life and words of Christ divided into five thematic parts: Light Word Spirit Death and Resurrection. Each part opens with a sumptuous full-page illumination reminiscent of the "carpet page" painting found in early Insular manuscripts; in the present work our artist fills the frame with a dazzling mixture of text and decorative patterns around a lustrous gilt medallion calling to mind the sun a resplendent halo or the Host. Although much of the decoration both on these full-page illuminations and elsewhere in this work remind one of Medieval manuscripts and are often composed of geometric designs and colors suggestive of stained glass the overall style here is decidedly modern. The palette is fresh and bold while the emphasis on strong lines and patterns shows the influence of the reigning Art Deco movement with echoes of the Art Nouveau movement that preceded it. Traditional biblical narratives in the form of historiated initials and miniatures are also presented here in refreshing ways: the image of the Sermon on the Mount for example places the viewer directly among the masses; we experience the event as a member of the audience would looking over the shoulders of the people in front of us to see Christ orating from a small hill silhouetted against a bright pink sky. Another memorable image--and the largest figural composition in this manuscript--is the Crucifixion. Though he has used a fairly standard composition the artist plays with our perception of space by setting the scene on a dark blue ground that envelopes the figures in a shadowy void; the only light source seems to come from the gold lettering immediately above the cross radiating off the face of Christ and to a lesser degree off the grief-stricken faces of John the Evangelist and the Virgin. All are pictured without haloes thus emphasizing the humanity of Christ over his divinity. As a whole this manuscript is extremely impressive in terms of artistry and technical execution and the prolific decoration and calligraphic variety hold the viewer's interest page after page. The equally impressive binding--modelled after the look of a Medieval Gospel book complete with enamel-like bosses and jewels--is fitting for a work that pays homage to the past while celebrating contemporary art and style. The life and work of calligrapher and illuminator Johann Holtz 1875-1944 is poorly documented but he seems to have been active in Flensberg Germany; he also worked as a graphic artist. Binder W. A. Petersen has proven equally illusive but we know that his workshop was also located in Flensburg. Given the town's close proximity to Denmark we might speculate whether Petersen was somehow related to the Copenhagen-based binder Immanuel Petersen who took over from master binder D. L. Clément in 1877. Despite the lack of biographical information on our artist and binder the work here needs no provenance information to be pleasing in every way from the gleaming binding to the beautifully preserved and magnificently illuminated contents. unknown
1915ST20770London: Especially written out and illuminated by Alberto Sangorski ca. 1915. 249 x 165 mm. 9 3/4 x 6 1/2". 18 2 pp. 2 leaves blank colophon. <br/> Attractive dark green crushed morocco gilt by Riviere & Son stamp-signed on front turn-in covers with wide frame and central panel tooled in gothic architectural motifs raised bands spine compartments with double gilt rules gilt lettering turn-ins framed by gilt fillets and dots scarlet watered silk pastedowns and endleaves all edges gilt old repair to head of spine. With one burnished gold initial "A" with intricate penwork embellishment in red and blue THE WORD "FOR" WRITTEN IN LARGE BURNISHED GOLD LETTERS SIX TIMES all with delicate penwork embellishment in blue or green TWO WITH A FAIRY-WINGED PUTTO perched on the crossbar of the "F" another "FOR" written in blue THE "F" IN BURNISHED GOLD ON A BACKGROUND OF BRUSHED GOLD WITH A PINK ROSE SPRIG a tailpiece of white jasmine blossoms entwined with a spray of lilac blooms FOUR ESPECIALLY FINE BRIGHT OVAL VIGNETTES approximately 90 mm. across SHOWING LOVELY GARDENS one of these accompanied by A HALF BORDER OF HUCKLEBERRY VINE another at the front as part of A SUPERB DOUBLE-PAGE OPENING FEATURING A PROFUSION OF PINK ROSES forming a frame around a gilt-edged cartouche bearing the title in blue surrounded by delicately blue and brown tendrils on the left AND A FRAME OF GRAPEVINES BEARING SUCCULENT PURPLE FRUIT ON A BRUSHED GOLD BACKGROUND on the right an oval view of a lake and mountains at its foot this frame enclosing text beginning with the words "GOD ALMIGHTY" in thickly burnished gold accented with curling blue and brown acanthus leaves and blue penwork. One page with trivial thumb smudge faint variations in shade of the vellum but A SUPERB SPECIMEN the vellum smooth and creamy the paint and gold bright and the virtually unworn binding with shining gilt.<br/> <br/> Featuring several gorgeous moments this is a luxurious and appropriately luxuriant illuminated manuscript of Bacon's prescription for the ideal princely garden. The most prominent modern creator of illuminated manuscripts our artist Alberto Sangorski 1862-1932 started his professional life as secretary to a goldsmith's firm before being attracted to the book arts at the age of 43. He began doing illuminated manuscripts that were then bound by his brother Francis' firm Sangorski & Sutcliffe with the colophon crediting the manuscript to the firm rather than acknowledging Alberto's contribution. Partly because of this failure to recognize his work Alberto had a falling out with Francis sometime around 1910 at which time he took his talents to Riviere the chief competitor to his brother's bindery. Robert Riviere began as a bookseller and binder in Bath in 1829 then set up shop as a binder in London in 1840; in 1881 he took his grandson Percival Calkin into partnership at which time the firm became known as Riviere & Son and the bindery continued to do business until 1939. Riviere was happy to allow Albert to add a colophon proclaiming as here that "This manuscript . . . was designed written out and illuminated by Alberto Sangorski." The decoration in the present work has an airy light-hearted aura with the bright gold lettering the delicate intricate penwork and the whimsical fairies conveying considerable joy and playfulness. And the beauty of the manuscript is heightened by the extremely fine condition here. Especially written out and illuminated by Alberto Sangorski unknown
1914ST18714London 1914. 265 x 207 mm. 10 1/2 x 8 1/4". 41 3 blank pp. 1 leaf colophon. <br/> RESPLENDENT IN DARK BLUE MOROCCO RICHLY GILT AND ONLAID BY RIVIERE & SON stamp-signed on front doublure covers with wide frame of swirling gilt vines bearing red morocco blossoms and blue and green berries bordered by strips of green and tan morocco central panel of upper cover with recessed oval containing a portrait of a young nun sculpted in leather with painted details this encircled by an onlaid ivory morocco rosary and surrounded by an exuberant spray of red morocco poppies with green and tan leaves central panel of lower cover with an arch-backed black morocco cat beneath the arch of a gray morocco horseshoe at center a black and red witch's hat above the horseshoe and the whole on a very densely stippled gilt ground incised with calligraphic curls and set with nine silver stars around the cat this centerpiece surrounded by curling gilt vines bearing red morocco and gilt posies raised bands spine compartments framed with tan morocco and containing a gilt and onlaid floral sprig TAN MOROCCO DOUBLURES bordered by a strip of purple morocco this with onlaid green morocco frame adorned with gilt latticework densely stippled gilt cornerpieces set with purple morocco passionflowers all accented with inlaid circles of purple navy and green in varying sizes leather hinges apricot watered silk endleaves all edges gilt. In the original silk- and velvet-lined green morocco box. Numerous two- to three-line initials in red blue or burnished gold three three-line illuminated initials 11 five- to six-line initials in shades of purple blue and green with highlights of pink and burnished gold two of these with extensions running the length of the text and two incorporated into full borders four very large initials 12 lines or more in colors and gold five full borders that on title page incorporating a small oval miniature of Whittier and TWO FULL-PAGE MINIATURES one of a young nun at prayer the other of two lovers walking in a forest. Calligraphed colophon SIGNED by Sangorski stating: "This manuscript . . . was designed written out and illuminated by Alberto Sangorski for Messrs. R. Rivière & Son Bookbinders & Booksellers to his Majesty King George V. London. This manuscript will not be duplicated. This manuscript was executed by me." From the collection of Phoebe A. D. Boyle her sale at Anderson Galleries 19-20 November 1923 lot 368. Front flyleaf with engraved bookplate of comic book pioneer M. C. Gaines 1894-1947; typed description from "Kolb Collection" Louis Kolb laid in. Ratcliffe "Albert Sangorski Bibliography" SJR 245. Vellum a bit wavy as is typical but A BEAUTIFUL COPY the leaves creamy and bright being painted with rich colors and glittering gold and IN A FLAWLESS BINDING.<br/> <br/> This is an outstanding example of the artistry of Alberto Sangorski and that of the binders gilders and finishers of Riviere & Son the volume being executed at the zenith of their creative powers and formerly owned by the most important collector of Sangorski's manuscripts. Sangorski has written out and illuminated three poems by American author John Greenleaf Whittier: "The Female Martyr" inspired by an 18-year-old nun from the Sisters of Charity who died nursing cholera victims; "The Witch's Daughter" set in Puritan New England; and "Memories" a lover's touching reminiscences of youthful romance. In addition to elaborate initials and borders in his preferred palette of blues purples and greens brightened with burnished gold Sangorski has created two full-page paintings one of the beautiful young nun at prayer the other of youthful sweethearts strolling arm-in-arm through a wood. <br /> <br /> Alberto Sangorski 1862-1932 started his professional life as secretary to a goldsmith's firm became attracted to the book arts at the age of 43 and began doing illuminated manuscripts that were then bound by his brother Francis' firm Sangorski & Sutcliffe. Sometime around 1910 Alberto and Francis had a falling out and the artist went to work for Riviere the chief competitor to his brother's firm. Like the manuscript here our binding by Riviere is the work of many months with hundreds of individual inlays onlays and applications of gilt. Robert Riviere began as a bookseller and binder in Bath in 1829 then set up shop as a binder in London in 1840; in 1881 he took his grandson Percival Calkin into partnership at which time the firm became known as Riviere & Son and the bindery continued to do business until 1939. New York collector Phoebe A. D. Boyle was the widow of a canvas manufacturer who had made a fortune providing tents to the U.S. Army in the Civil War. George Sutcliffe described this important client as "rivalling the Medici in her patronage of the production of beautiful books." Stephen Ratcliffe deems the Boyle collection as "unrivalled" for its jewelled bindings and modern illuminated manuscripts; 33 of Alberto Sangorski's creations appeared in her sale at Anderson Galleries in 1923 and during World War I she was one of the only customers for extravagant productions like the present item. Any book from the Boyle collection which was put together with the greatest taste and discrimination is recognized as desirable beyond its intrinsic literary merit. unknown
1939ST20331London: Beaconsfield Press 1939. No. 72 OF 125 COPIES SIGNED BY THE ARTIST AND THE EDITOR for sale in the British Empire. 292 x 248 mm. 11 1/2 x 9 3/4". xxvi pp. 46 leaves all leaves French fold. Edited by Cecil Roth. <br/> Elegant original blue crushed morocco by Sangorski & Sutcliffe signed on front turn-in covers with gilt French fillet border and large intricate central figure designed by Szyk of a patriarch holding a goblet and book raised bands spine gilt in double ruled compartments with ornate crown centerpiece gilt titling turn-ins with double gilt-ruled and scalloped border surrounding an illustrated silk doublure featuring a Szyk portrait of Moses with the Ten Commandments done in shades of gray within a frame of elaborate design. In an excellent velvet-lined box of blue half morocco over lighter blue cloth upper cover with central lion's head in gilt on blue morocco spine like that of the book. WITH 14 FULL-PAGE AND 32 SMALLER COLOR REPRODUCTIONS OF DESIGNS BY SZYK. English translation printed in black commentary printed in red. Front flyleaf inscribed in ink: "To Mr. and Mrs. Solomon Brachman / very cordially / Arthur Szyk / New York. April 1945." Very faint naturally occurring variations in the grain of the vellum otherwise a pristine copy.<br/> <br/> With an important Holocaust-related authorial inscription this is a very fine copy of what the London Times described as "a book worthy to be placed among the most beautiful of books that the hand of man has produced." Arthur Szyk 1894-1951 a Polish Jew is considered by scholars to be the greatest 20th century illuminator. Using the style of the Medieval illuminated manuscript artists he has here created a Haggadah for Passover that is at once a beautiful book of devotion a political protest against the rise of Nazism and a plea for England's help for the Jews of Europe. By 1939 Szyk's anti-Nazi cartoons had caused Hitler to put a price on his head forcing him to flee to England. His original illustrations for his "Haggadah" featuring the villains of the Exodus with the heads of Hitler Goebbels and other leading Nazis had to be toned down before publication. All 46 pages of the Hebrew text are illustrated with scenes from the Passover story as well as vignettes of Jewish life in modern Europe—sometimes Szyk mixes the two to great effect. Perhaps the most moving illustration in the book is the elaborately illustrated dedication to King George VI of England appealing for his mercy to European Jews. The great symbols of the British Empire—the lion and unicorn St. George defeating the dragon—surround Szyk's plea to the king: "At the feet of your most gracious majesty I humbly lay these works of my hands shewing forth the affliction of my people Israel." In the lower right corner of the painting we see Jewish refugees beside one of the ships which were usually turned away from British shores while Szyk depicts himself leaning against the painting his brush and easel in hand. The text here is enriched by the historical introduction and the commentary contributed by Cecil Roth 1899-1970 the preeminent British expert on Jewish history. This crowning achievement of Szyk's life was four years in the making and has proved to be an enduring treasure. Szyk presented this copy to Texas oilfield supply magnate Solomon "Sol" Brachman 1896-1974 and his wife Etta. The son of a Latvian Jew Brachman was the founding president of the Jewish Federation of Fort Worth in 1936 and helped arrange an emergency $100000 bank loan for Israel on the eve of statehood in 1948. His wife who served as president of the National Council of Jewish Women was known as "the mother of Hadassah." Szyk's 1945 inscription was no doubt especially meaningful to this devout family whose Latvian relatives were among the 90 percent of that country's Jews who perished in the Holocaust. Beaconsfield Press unknown
1920ST16608<p>London: Designed written out and illuminated by Alberto Sangorski Colophon 1920. 255 x 212 mm. 10 1/8 x 8 1/2". 25 3 pp.</p><p>ELEGANT LIGHT OLIVE GREEN CRUSHED MOROCCO GILT AND INLAID by Riviere for London bookseller Charles J. Sawyer stamp-signed "Chas. J. Sawyer Ltd. London" on front turn-in upper cover with inlaid mahogany-brown morocco lyre at head "strung" with gilt fillets and surrounded by dense gilt stippling six gilt fillets emanating from the top of this ornament and curling extravagantly below it with inlaid green morocco leaves at the tips of its extensions and inlaid red dots accenting the perimeter raised bands spine compartments with gilt and inlaid leaf sprig gilt titling turn-ins framed with five gilt fillets stippled and inlaid cornerpieces ivory moiré silk doublures and endleaves. In a fine full morocco plush-lined box with raised bands and gilt titling. ILLUSTRATED THROUGHOUT WITH EIGHT LARGE MINIATURES within extraordinarily elaborate illuminated borders FIVE FINE ROUNDELS FOUR LARGE HISTORIATED INITIALS a portrait of a young woman a leaping stag a skull and a landscape with a castle tower AND 25 ILLUMINATED INITIALS all with burnished gold. New expertly matched silk guards. SIGNED by Sangorski in the colophon following the statement: "This manuscript will not be duplicated." With an early typescript list of the contents laid in at front. Ratcliffe "Alberto Sangorski" SJR 338 attributing the binding to Riviere. ◆Spine slightly sunned to olive brown just a hint of sunning to head and fore edges of boards spine with half a dozen barely perceptible tiny dark spots but A VERY FINE COPY OF AN EXTRAORDINARILY BEAUTIFUL MANUSCRIPT the binding unworn and lustrous and the interior pristine with vellum clean and bright and the paintings perfectly preserved.<br /><br />Written out decorated and painted by one of the most accomplished illuminators of the modern era this attractively bound work celebrates some of Shakespeare's best-known plays with sumptuous miniatures that are in a perfect state of preservation. Songs from "The Tempest" "As You Like It" "Hamlet" "A Midsummer Night's Dream" and other works provide the inspiration for the many delightful miniatures seen here which display an impressive variety of portraits outdoor views and figural scenes--everything from reclining nudes to a particularly lush scene in which a group of spirited hunters return from the woods. The illustrations are all painted with exquisite attention to detail and demonstrate the artist's innate understanding of color rendering each composition delicate yet vigorous and vibrantly hued. All Sangorski manuscripts with miniatures are painted with great skill but this one is particularly arresting. Alberto Sangorski 1862-1932 started his professional life as secretary to a goldsmith's firm became attracted to the book arts at the age of 43 and began doing illuminated manuscripts that were then bound by his brother Francis' firm Sangorski & Sutcliffe. Sometime around 1910 Alberto and Francis had a falling out and the artist went to work for Riviere the chief competitor to his brother's firm. <br /><br />The gracefully tooled binding here was commissioned by London bookseller Charles J. Sawyer 1876-1931 who opened his shop in 1894. According to Brown and Brett's "The London Bookshop" Sawyer provided "anything suitable for a gentleman's library" with specialties in "rare items early English literature fine bindings and sporting and colour-plate books." While the binder fulfilling the commission did not sign this work Sangorski bibliographer Stephen Ratcliffe attributes it to Riviere & Son and there are examples of Riviere bindings decorated in this Art Nouveau style. But the design here with its delicate curving lines creating uncommon shapes also resembles the work done by members of the Guild of Women Binders. Whoever the artisans involved the binding is attractively designed and executed using premium materials and it provides a pleasing cover for the glorious illuminations within.</p> [D]esigned, written out, and illuminated by Alberto Sangorski [Colophon]
