Includes Two Doves Press Leaves:
Vellum Leaf from Faust and Double Paper Leaf from The Bible
Inscribed with Two Laid-in Letters from the Author
Samuel R. Rosenthal's Copy

[Adagio Press]
Strouse, Norman H. and John Dreyfus.
C-S The Master Craftsman.
Harpers Woods, MI: The Adagio Press, 1969.

INTERESTING ASSOCIATION COPY WITH RELATED MATERIAL LAID IN.  This beautiful copy is inscribed by author John Dreyfus to noted Chicago book collector and philanthropist Samuel R. Rosenthal, "for Sam R Rosenthal after a splendid evening John Dreyfus 16 December 1978 Chicago."  Rosenthal and his wife, Marie-Louise, had a pre-eminent book collection that concentrated on livres d'artistes, illustrated books, and private press. This is 39 of 75 folio copies issued with one vellum leaf and one handmade paper leaf laid in from books printed at the Doves Press. There were 329 copies originally printed of this Adagio Press edition (although fewer than 180 were offered for sale), each with two Doves Press leaves: 12 with both Doves Press leaves printed on vellum; 75 with one leaf on vellum and the second on handmade paper; and 242 with both leaves printed on handmade paper. This copy has an octavo vellum leaf from Goethe's "Faust," issued in 1906, and a folio double leaf on paper with Leviticus 16-22 from the famed Dove's Bible.

The Adagio Press was founded in the late 1950s by Leonard Bahr, who signed the colophon.  In Roderick Cave's The Private Press, second edition, he cites the Bible as the most substantial title printed by the press.  In 1970, Strouse had sent two letters to Rosenthal, included with this copy, offering C-S The Master Craftsman. Strouse said that he would make Rosenthal's copy "a little special" by putting in a double leaf from the Bible. Two letters dated 1978 are laid in from Dreyfus to Rosenthal and his wife. These letters and the 1978 inscription indicate that he got to know Rosenthal around this time.  In one letter, Dreyfus expresses his appreciation for their expressions of sympathy over the tragic death of his son. There are a few handwritten additions to the text of Dreyfus's essay in this copy, which may have added when he inscribed the book, but this is conjecture.

The book is hand sewn and bound in quarter vellum with Cockerell marbled paper covered boards and gilt title to spine.  It is printed in red and black Palatino Roman and Pascal types on handmade Tovil paper.  In addition to the Doves Press leaves, laid in are the prospectus, a mounted photograph of Cobden-Sanderson with Emery Walker developed from the original negative, a smaller copy of the photo, and a pamphlet issued in 1971 titled "A Letter from Stella."  This pamphlet reprints the text of the last letter written by Cobden-Sanderson to his daughter, Stella, a few hours before he died, with an introduction by Strouse. [54 pages.]  Fine. (#21561)

Price: $1,600

Includes Leaf from Johann Zainer's Press - from Compendium Theologiae Veritatis

Amelung, Peter; Ruth Schwab-Rosenthal, translator; Bernard M. Rosenthal, introduction.
Johann Zainer The Elder & Younger.
Los Angeles: Kenneth Karmiole, Bookseller, Inc., 1985.

One of 150 copies. A handsome leaf book that documents the life and achievements of 15th century printer Johann Zainer and his press. The original leaf contained in the book was printed at Zainer's press sometime between 1478-81. It is from Hugo Ripelin's Compendium Theologiae Veritatis. There are also three reproductions of pages from other books from Zainer's press. Bound in blue cloth with cream title label on spine. The text was printed on Mohawk Superfine paper in Aldine Bembo types by Patrick Reagh, Printers. In fine condition. Measures 8.75 x 11 inches. 22 pages. Fine. (#36155)

Price: $250 

Prospectus for Bremer Presse's Aeschylus 

[Bremer Presse]
Prometheus of Aeschylus Prospectus.
München [Munich]: Bremer Prese, 1926.

A four-page prospectus for the Greek language edition of Prometheus from the esteemed Bremer Presse. It shows the title page,two pages of text accompanied by two woodcuts done by German artist Ludwig von Hofmann. The rear page of the prospectus describes in English the creation of this book and the participants, along with the number of copies and prices. Printed in black ink on brown paper. There is a three inch split along the fold, otherwise in very good condition. Very Good. (#36475)

Price: $100 

Golden Cockerel Press Prospectuses -
Book of Days, Voyage in the Resource (2), A Croppe of Kisses, Ana the Runner, and the First Fleet

[Golden Cockerel Press]
Collection of Prospectuses.
London: Golden Cockerel Press, 1937.

This is a collection of prospectuses for five of the books issued by the famed Golden Cockerel Press in 1937. There are six prospectuses, with two copies for one of the titles. They are held in a green folder with a stylized illustration of a cock in a cocked hat and frock coat in black and the title "The Golden Cockerel Private/ Press Books /Spring List 1937." The inside two pages of the folder are printed with an essay about the private press - what it is and isn't - and an announcement for the upcoming publication of Paradise Lost in May. The back of the folder has a notice to subscribers that most of their editions are oversubscribed upon announcement, and excerpts from positive reviews of some of their earlier publications. The prospectuses are as follows with information from the Cock-a-Hoop bibliography published by the Private Libraries Association in 1976: P118.

The Book of Days by Llewlyn Powys. Four pages, printed on Batchelor laid hand-made paper, with a collotype reproduction of an etching by Elizabeth Corsellis and a specimen page. 13 1/8 x 9 3/8 inches. 4,000 copies. P120.

Bligh's Voyage in the Resource. Two copies. One sheet, two pages, printed on white laid paper, with a wood engraving by Peter Barker-Mill. 12 1/8 x 7 1/2 inches. 5,000 copies. P121.

A Croppe of Kisses by Ben Jonson. Four pages, printed on white laid paper with a Cockerel device on the front, with a specimen page and an appreciation. Inserted is the subscription form. 12 1/8 x 7 3/8 inches. 5,000 copies. P122.

Ana the Runner by Patrick Miller. Four pages, printed on white wove paper. with a wood engraving by Clifford Webb on a specimen plate and a specimen page from chapter I. 8 3/4 x 5 5/8 inches. 7,000 copies. P123.

The First Fleet with introduction and notes by Owen Rutter. Two pages, printed on white laid paper, with a wood-engraving by Peter Barker-Mill. 12 1/4 x 7 1/2 inches. 5,500 copies.

The prospectuses are all in near fine condition, the larger ones with horizontal fold lines from mailing. The green folder holding the items is faded lightly worn and creased around the edges. There is a horizontal fold line for mailing. The folder measures 9.5 x 13.5 inches. A very nice representative collection of ephemera from this renowned 20th century private press. Very good condition. (#36527)

Price: $375

14 Leaves from the Grabhorn Press

[Grabhorn Press].
A Grab[Horn] Bag. Original Pages. Found by excavators at 642 Commercial Street, San Francisco.
San Francisco: Grabhorn Press.

A portfolio bound in cream cloth over printed marbled paper covered boards with green paper title label to front board. Browning to spine and edges of boards. Wear to edges and corners. This portfolio includes 14 pages printed at the Grabhorn press. A handwritten contents page (written by a previous owner) identifies the book, author, year of publication, and typeface for each leaf. All of the leaves are contained in a folded sheet and inserted into a green folder within the portfolio covers. Foxing to many of the sheets and offsetting from the folder onto a few. Clean overall. A nice collection. Very Good. (#36336)

Price: $95

with Aldine Press Leaf - Hypnerotomachia Poliphili (1499)

[Grabhorn Press]
Aldus Pius Manutius; Theodore Low De Vinne, essay.
Aldus Pius Manutius.
San Francisco: Grabhorn Press for The Book Club of California, 1924.

Number 171 of 250 copies. with an original leaf from the Aldine Hypnerotomachia Poliphili, printed in Venice in 1499, numbered 147 in pencil to the top corner. The leaf contains text only. Italian printer and humanist, Aldus Pius Manutius (1449/1452 - 1515) founded the Aldine Press and spent his later years publishing rare texts in their original Greek or Latin forms.

Bound in brown paper covered boards with dark brown cloth spine. Black label on front cover with the Aldine Press device. Gilt title to spine. Printed at the Grabhorn Press on Kelmscott paper in Poliphilus type. Illustrated with decorative headpieces after wood-cuts in the Aldine Hypnerotomachia. Wear and rubbing to edges of boards and spine ends.A few spots of soiling and scuffing to boards. Bumping to foot of spine. Foxing to original leaf along margins, else clean and bright. Unpaginated. [34 pages.] Very Good. (#36872)

Price: $500

Gwasg Gregynog Prospectus for Pennant and His Welsh Landscapes

[Gwasg Gregynog]
Pennant, Thomas; Rigby Graham, illustrator.
Prospectus for Pennant and his Welsh Landscapes.
Wales: Gwasg Gregynog, 2005.

A handsome prospectus for the press's Pennant and His Welsh Landscapes. In addition the description of the book and the information about the participants there is a full-page copy of one of Rigby Graham's striking engravings. An order form for the book is inserted. In fine condition. Measures 9.5 x 13.75 inches. (#36543)

Price: $15 

Bremer Press Leaf - Iliad and Odyssey
with 1 page description of the book in English

[Homer].
[Leaf from Iliad and Odyssey].
[Munich]: [Bremer Presse], [1923].

A handsome leaf in Greek from the famed edition of the Iliad and Odyssey from the Bremer Presse, one of the most distinguished private presses in Germany. Of note is that their celebrated Greek type was designed by Willi Wiegand, which was "a happy blending of classic form and free rendering" (Will Ransom, Private Presses and Their Books). There were 615 copies printed on handmade paper in the press's 16 point Greek type. The edges of the pages were untrimmed except along the top edge. Very light chipping where removed from bound volume. A few reddish spots along the margins not affecting text.Two tiny white cloth tags used to affix to another surface. Accompanied by a one page description in English of the book from the press.Very good condition. Leaf measures 8.5 x 14.5 inches.  (#36585)

Price: $50 

Kelmscott Press Leaves from The Earthly Paradise

[Kelmscott Press]
Morris, William.
Eight leaves from The Earthly Paradise.
Hammersmith: Kelmscott Press, 1896-97.

The Earthly Paradise was a collection of epic and romantic poems by William Morris (1834-1896) that first appeared in 1868-1870 when he was still in his thirties, and established Morris's reputation as an important poet. He planned to do an edition elaborately illustrated by his great friend, the artist Edward Burne-Jones but it was never realized. This Kelmscott Press edition had eight volumes that were issued between July 1896 and September 1897. There were 225 paper copies and 6 copies on vellum.

These eight leaves are from volume five and contain pages 49-64 of The Land East of the Sun and West of the Moon. They are collected as one signature. The beautiful text pages have two 6-line decorated initials and twenty 4-line initials. Printed on Apple paper in Golden type using red and black inks. This was the first book in which Apple paper was used. Pages measure 6.5 x 9.5 inches. Except for some light browning to page edges the leaves are in near fine condition. An excellent example of the typography and printing of the Kelmscott Press and a wonderful addition to a teaching collection. Near Fine. (#34159)

Price: $350 

Kelmscott Press Leaves from The Earthly Paradise

[Kelmscott Press]
Morris, William.
Six Kelmscott Press Leaves from The Earthly Paradise.
Hammersmith: Kelmscott Press, [1896-1897].

Six Leaves, pages 83-94, from "The Wanderers and March" in The Earthly Paradise that offer a wonderful example of the fine printing of the Kelmscott Press and the impressive poetry of Morris. Pages 83-90 are from "The Wanderers". Pages 91-94 are from "March", with the opening text , border decoration and ten-line decorated initial "S" of March. Other pages with four and six line decorated initials. Printed in black and red Golden type on Apple paper. In near fine condition.  (#29320)

Price: $400

Kelmscott Press Leaves from The Golden Legend

[Kelmscott Press]
Voragine, Jacobus de; William Caxton, translator and printer. Six leaves from The Golden Legend.
Hammersmith: Kelmscott Press, 1892.

William Morris greatly admired The Golden Legend, a medieval collection of saints' lives. It was one of the first books printed in England by William Caxton, (1422- 1491), the first English printer, who, as a translator and publisher, exerted an important influence on English literature. In his bibliography of the Kelmscott Press, William Peterson writes that The Golden Legend was intended to be the first book produced by the press, but because of its length and some problems with paper delivery, Morris was forced to issue several shorter volumes before it was completed. The book was completed in three volumes and a celebratory dinner was held in October 1892 (Bibliography pages 19-24). It was printed in Golden type on Flower paper.

These 6 leaves display the fine printing and handsome Morris-designed ornamental initials. The leaves comprise pages 563-574. There are twenty-three 6-line initials and two 10-line initials.They are attached as in a signature. The pages are in very good condition with slight aging to margins. A nice addition to a teaching collection for the printing arts and history of the book. Very Good. (#34228)

Price: $350

Kelmscott Press Leaves from The Golden Legend

[Kelmscott Press]
Voragine, Jacobus de; William Caxton, translator and printer.
Six leaves from The Golden Legend.
Hammersmith: Kelmscott Press, 1892.

William Morris greatly admired The Golden Legend, a medieval collection of saints' lives. It was one of the first books printed in England by William Caxton, (1422- 1491), the first English printer, who, as a translator and publisher, exerted an important influence on English literature. In his bibliography of the Kelmscott Press, William Peterson writes that The Golden Legend was intended to be the first book produced by the press, but because of its length and some problems with paper delivery, Morris was forced to issue several shorter volumes before it was completed. The book was completed in three volumes and a celebratory dinner was held in October 1892 (Bibliography pages 19-24). It was printed in Golden type on Flower paper.

These 6 leaves display the fine printing and handsome Morris-designed ornamental initials. The leaves comprise pages 575-576, 583-584, 585-586, 597-601. There are seven 6-line initials and two 10-line initials. The pages are in very good condition with slight aging to margins. A nice addition to a teaching collection for the printing arts and history of the book. Very Good. (#34230)

Price: $350 

Kelmscott Press Leaves from The Golden Legend

[Kelmscott Press]
Voragine, Jacobus de; William Caxton, translator and printer.
Six leaves from The Golden Legend.
Hammersmith: Kelmscott Press, 1892.

William Morris greatly admired The Golden Legend, a medieval collection of saints' lives. It was one of the first books printed in England by William Caxton, (1422- 1491), the first English printer, who, as a translator and publisher, exerted an important influence on English literature. In his bibliography of the Kelmscott Press, William Peterson writes that The Golden Legend was intended to be the first book produced by the press, but because of its length and some problems with paper delivery, Morris was forced to issue several shorter volumes before it was completed. The book was completed in three volumes and a celebratory dinner was held in October 1892 (Bibliography pages 19-24). It was printed in Golden type on Flower paper.

These 6 leaves display the fine printing and handsome Morris-designed ornamental initials. The leaves comprise pages 3-4, 13-14, 296-297, 368-367, 499-500, 523-524. There are eleven 6-line initials and three 10-line initials. The pages are in very good condition although the leaf with pages 368-369 show some aging and has the name C.B. Foote and New York written upside down in ink at the bottom of page 368. A nice addition to a teaching collection for the printing arts and history of the book. Very Good. (#34174)

Price: $350 

Larkspur Press - Prospectuses and Price Lists

[Larkspur Press].
Larkspur Press Ephemera - 10 items.
Monterey, KY: Larkspur Press.

Includes prospectuses for: Guest House, Fondelle, Stone Eye, A Sense of Time Left, Sonata at Payne Hollow, Heart's Hornbook, What You Know, Science in Your Own Back Yard, and 2 price lists. Each prospectus is either two pages (a single leaf printed front and back) or four pages (two leaves printed front and back). Illustration printed on each prospectus. Clean and bright. Size: most are about 9 x 6 inches. Fine. (#36486)

Price: $25

Leaf from William Pickering

[Pickering Press]
Pickering, William; Joseph Blumenthal (essay); John DePol (wood engravings).
William Pickering.
Maple Shade, NJ: The Pickering Press, 1984.

1 of 100 copies. William Pickering (1796-1854) was one of the most important figures in the history of English book production. Bound in light blue paper wrappers with woodcut title label to front wrapper. Fading to edges of wrappers and bumping to corners. Hand set in Emerson and Bembo types on Arches Text and bound by Pam and Don Rash. Includes a tipped in leaf featuring the Fell Flower ornament - with foxing to leaf. Numerous woodcuts after Pickering designs by John DePol. Clean and bright interior. Size: Thin octavo. [24 pages.] Very Good. (#36412)

Price: $100 

Leaves from Golden Cockerel, Gregynog, Shakespeare Head, Curwen, Nonesuch, Haslewood Books, and Cresset Press

[The Whittington Press]
Butcher, David, commentary.
Pages From Presses Volume II: Golden Cockerel, Gregynog, Shakespeare Head, Curwen, Nonesuch, Haslewood Books and Cresset.
Lower Marston Farm, Risbury, Herefordshire: The Whittington Press, 2022.

Number 59 of 95 copies of this beautifully printed book. There are 180 copies in this edition: 45 copies numbered I-XLV, 40 copies numbered i-xl; and 95 copies numbered 1-95. Each version has a different binding and a different number of original leaves.This version has 14 original paper leaves. From the press prospectus:

"Never before have original leaves from such high points been gathered together in a single volume, and it is unlikely they will ever be again. They will be accompanied by David’s informative and authoritative commentary, much praised in the first volume. The book makes an ideal companion to the first volume, and together they cover perhaps the epitome of fifty years of the British private press movement from Kelmscott on. This is a unique opportunity to acquire original leaves from a selection of the books of the major British fine presses that flourished after the First World War. The book gives collectors the feel of the actual pages from these presses in a way no reproduction can achieve, demonstrating clearly the quality of work of each. The leaves are tipped onto guards so that each side is readily accessible and can be turned naturally."

In addition to the individual leaves listed below, there is a large fold-out page opposite the title page with the pressmarks of the various presses printed on Batchelor's Crown and Sceptre paper. Bound in half green buckram with light green paper covers with the blind stamped Whittington watermark on the front cover, and with gilt titling to spine. Set in Neil Winter in 14D Walbaum type and printed at Whittington on Losin hand-made paper. Bound by the Fine Book Bindery, Finedon. Housed in a green buckram and cream paper covered slipcase. In fine condition. Measures 11.5 x 15.5 inches. 138 pages including Chronology and Further Reading.

The leaves included in this edition are:

Golden Cockerel Press:
Pages 75-76 of The Canterbury Tales, with marginal illustrations by Eric Gill.
Pages 357-358 of Paradise Lost
Pages 51-52 of The Hundredth Story

Gregynog Press:
Pages 199-200 of The Plays of Euripides
Pages 41-44 of Caneuon Ceiriog Detholiad
Pages 207-208 of Erewhon

Shakespeare Head Press:
Pages 153-154 and 159-160 of The Whole Works of Homer
Pages 159-160 of The Works of William Shakespeare
Curwen Press: Pages 221-222 of The Legion Book

Nonesuch Press:
Pages 95-96 and 105-106 of Benito Cereno
Pages 523-524 of The Anatomy of Melancholy
Pages 619-620 of Odyssey

Haslewood Books:
Pages 193-194 and 207-208 of Tales from Hans Andersen with hand-colored illustration by Hester Sainsbury

Cresset Press:
Pages 17-18 from The Apocrypha or The Sheheardes Calendar

(#36959)

Price: $1,200 

Leaf from the Kelmscott Press - Golden Legend
John de Pol's Copy

[Yellow Barn Press]
Peterson, William S., editor; John de Pol, illustrator.
The Kelmscott Golden Legend: A Documentary History of its Production Together with a Leaf From the Kelmscott Edition.
Council Bluffs, IA: The Yellow Barn Press and the University of Maryland at College Park, 1990.

Number 18 of 170 copies. The University of Maryland received its William Morris collection from Jack Walsdorf in 1985. Walsdorf was a major collector of books about books, private presses and printers, especially William Morris. He in fact developed three separate collections of books by and about Morris during his life. The gift to the university included leaves from a disbound copy of the Kelmscott Press Golden Legend. Each of the leaves is now included in a leaf book by Kelmscott Press scholar, William Peterson, who compiled a history of the printing of this work by the press. Following the history, Mr. Walsdorf tells how he acquired disbounded leaves. The book reprints several letters sent by Morris and Includes facsimiles of the original prospectus and of a letter to Quaritch from Morris.

Frontispiece wood engraving of William Morris by John de Pol. This copy belonged to de Pol, with his bookplate affixed to the front pastedown. Bound in gray cloth with black and gold spine label. Interior is also fine. Printed at the Yellow Barn Press on Batchelor Paper from 1940 with Monotype Bembo type. Press work by Neil Shaver using a Vandercook III. The binder was Campbell-Logan. In fine condition. Measures 9 x 12 inches. 32 pages.  (#37011)

Price: $550