DRAMATIC ROMANCES AND LYRICS

Descripción

222 x 140 mm. (8 3/4 x 5 3/4"). 121, [1] pp., [1] leaf (colophon). VERY PRETTY RED CRUSHED MOROCCO, ELABORATELY GILT, FOR BUMPUS (stamp-signed on front turn-in), covers ruled in gilt and with lacy stippled cornerpieces, raised bands, spine panels densely gilt, gilt lettering, pastedowns framed by small floral tools, vellum endleaves, all edges gilt. Decorative border and intricate strapwork woodcut initials by Charles Ricketts. Front flyleaf inscribed in ink: "To G. C. from P. T. M. C." / Xmas 1900." Tomkinson, p. 167. â A touch of rubbing to extremities, text with a couple of tiny rust spots, but A FINE COPY, clean, fresh, and bright internally in a lustrous binding. This attractive production is the 26th work from the press that was founded--and closely supervised--by Charles Ricketts, who was perhaps the most significant figure in the private press movement after William Morris. It is one of the scarcest of the Vale books because, as Tomkinson says, most of the 210 copies were destroyed in a fire at the Ballantyne Press. From 1896 to 1903, Ricketts ran the Vale Press, which produced books that in Cave's words were "far truer to the spirit of fifteenth-century printing than Kelmscott work." The Press issued nearly 50 titles, and both its impressive output and considerable artistic success can be attributed to the fact that Ricketts, who was remarkably skilled as a designer, painter, and illustrator, was in control of every facet of the operation. Tomkinson observes that "although the actual printing was done on the premises of the Ballantyne Press, the Vale books were built entirely on Mr. Ricketts' design under his personal supervision on a press set apart for his sole use; the founts, decorations, illustrations (including the engraving on the wood), watermarks, and pagination were all the work of Mr. Ricketts, and it is doubtful if, in the history of printing, books have been made which reflect the invention and work of one man more explicitly than do the Vale books." Bumpus bindings were done for the bookselling firm of John and Edward Bumpus, founded in 1780. The firm long enjoyed a reputation as purveyors of fine and beautiful bindings without ever operating a bindery. Instead, they outsourced the work to the best binders of the day, including Riviere and Morrell (the latter being a likely choice here). N° de ref. del artículo ST19700

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