2 5. ASHENDENE PRESS. MALORY, Sir Thomas. The Noble and Joyous Book Entytled Le Morte d’ Arthur Ashendene Press. 1913. £5,500
Folio. Original dark-brown cowhide, bound by W.H. Smith after the design by Douglas Cockerell, the spine divided into 6 compartments by raised bands, titled in gilt in 2 and with the imprint in gilt at the foot, board edges and turn-ins gilt with single and double fillets respectively. Chapter headings, shoulder notes and final lines of books printed in red. 29 woodcut illustrations by W.H. Hooper and J.B. Swain after Charles H. Gere and Margaret Gere, 2 full-page, initials in red and blue by and after Graily Hewitt. Spine slightly sunned, binding very slightly rubbed and scuffed, otherwise a very good copy.
Limited edition of 155 copies, this one of 145 on paper in the original binding designed by Douglas Cockerell and executed by W.H. Smith. With the leather bookplate of William Foyle.
6. ASHENDENE PRESS. BRIDGES, Robert. Poems Written in the Year MCMXIII. Ashendene Press. 1914.
£1,250
8vo., original holland backed blue paper covered boards. With initials printed in red and blue. A little spotted otherwise a very good copy.
First Edition Limited edition of 85 copies printed on paper for the Poet Laureate. No copies of this book were for sale: fifty copies were sent to Bridges, and the remainder were distributed by Hornby. The initial letters are printed in both blue and red in this copy. “The one and only event of literary significance in the history of the Ashendene Press,” (Colin Franklin) . The eleven poems in this volume are printed for the first time, and mark the first time Bridges published with a fine press other than the Daniel Press.
7. ASHENDENE PRESS. BOCCACCIO, Giovanni. Il Decameron di Giovanni Boccaccio. Ashendene Press. 1920.
£5,000
Folio, Contemporary tan pigskin gilt, the upper cover with central gilt oval lozenge made up of floral and foliate tools enclosed within a single gilt fillet, surrounded by a border of 4 gilt fillets, 2 enclosing a band of gilt ellipses and quatrefoils, the lower cover with a border of triple gilt fillets, the spine gilt in 7 compartments divided by raised bands, titled in gilt in one and lettered with the imprint at the foot, the other compartments decorated with a design of interlocking circles with quatrefoil tools at the intersections, turn- ins gilt with double fillets, gilt vellum doublures decorated with islamicate geometric designs composed of floral, foliate, dot and other tools, within an undulating gilt border, gilt edges gauffered with foliate, quatrefoil and dot tools. Printed in red, blue and black. Initials in blue by and after Graily Hewitt. Spine slightly sunned, otherwise a near fine copy.
Limited to 111 copies, this one of 105 on paper. In an attractive contemporary binding, unsigned, but clearly influenced by Douglas Cockerell and his bindings for the Ashendene Press’s books.
Provenance: William Foyle Sale Christie’s 2000.
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