Anvers

1938 · 527345 — San Mateo California: The Quercus Press 1938. Softcover. Fine. First edition. Foreword by Edith Van Antwerp. Quarto. 4pp. printed rectos only. Sewn yellow-gold wrappers printed in black on front cover. The title page is printed in black type with 'modern horse character' in Chinese framed in bright yellow thick line rule and the colophon prints the 'Archaic horse character' and the 'heiroglyphic horse character 500 B.C.' in Chinese and thanks 'Mr. Patrick Pichi Sun Vice-Consul in San Francisco for the Republic of China for writing the modern horse character that appears on the title page of this book' presumably this statement was by Edith Van Antwerp.<br /> <br /> Beautifully designed and printed in a small edition "a very few copies have been printed." with a printed calling card and handwritten note from Edith Van Antwerp presenting this copy to Melba Berry Bennett. The engraved card measures 2 7/8 by 2 inches and stating "Mrs. William Clarkson Van Antwerp' with a twelve-line holograph note on recto and verso of card from Edith Van Antwerp to 'Dear Melba' Melba Berry Bennett presenting this book and stating: "Dear Melba - At long last-- here it is! It goes to you with Frances' i.e. Mrs. Theodore Max Lilienthal and my love and thanks for your amiable forbearance when we were in the throes of production. We really think it is pretty good. we hope it will find favor in your eyes. Best Christmas wishes E. V. P."<br /> <br /> Theodore Max Lilienthal and Leon Gelber established the Gelber-Lilienthal Book Shop in San Francisco in 1924 and a publishing company under the imprint Lantern Press. Mr. and Mrs. Theodore Max Lilienthal along with Edith Van Antwerp later established The Quercus Press in San Mateo California. In 1940 they began using the Albion Press that once belonged to William Morris the press was acquired from the estate of Dr. J. W. Bartlett of New York. Melba Berry Bennett poet bibliophile and Robinson Jeffers family friend wrote the authorized biography of Jeffers The Stone Mason of Tor House: The Life and Times of Robinson Jeffers which was awarded the California Commonwealth Club's Silver Medal in 1966. She was also associated with The Quercus Press. On April 1 1940 she was one of the supporters of The Quercus Press who pulled the first page that was printed by The Quercus Press on their newly acquired Albion Press that was once owned by Morris and the Kelmscott Press. <br /> <br /> Edith Van Antwerp's Foreword concludes: ". a very few copies have been printed for a very few people in whose hearts today is this very same ancient love of the horse." A fine copy of a rare publication. OCLC lists a two holdings Huntington Library and Mills College. The Quercus Press unknown