THE DOVES PRESS COLLECTION OF PROFESSOR TOM SIMONE

Transcription

1 THE DOVES PRESS COLLECTION OF PROFESSOR TOM SIMONE Collinge & Clark 13 Leigh Street London WC1H 9EW United Kingdom 0044 (0) The items in this catalogue are offered at nett U.S. dollar prices for cash upon receipt. Postage and insurance for books in transit are extra and new customers may be requested to pay against pro forma invoices. In respect of condition, every effort has been made to collate and describe the books accurately, but satisfaction is of course guaranteed. This means, unequivocally, that any book may be returned if it does not fulfil expectations provided that return is made within a reasonable time. Customers are reminded that shop opening hours are to 6.30 weekdays and to 3.30 Saturdays. In extremis, my mobile number is

2 NOTE A century ago T.J. Cobden-Sanderson famously threw the types and matrices of the Doves Press into the River Thames at Hammersmith Bridge. This act, which had been in his mind for some six years was illegal as the types were the property of his former partner Emery Walker. After his death, in 1922 the matter led to a protracted lawsuit with his widow Annie which, after the intervention of friends, was finally settled out of court. The whole saga of the Doves Face Roman was a curious episode in the English Arts and Crafts movement. William Morris s Golden type lay treasured in the British Museum, Charles Ricketts Vale and Avon types already rested upon the bottom of the Thames at Hammersmith and no one has ever made an attempt to recover those, but the Doves types, just like the Doves Bindery bindings, were venerated perfect. The Doves Press books are the first modern private press books, notable for the simple beauty of their type, lettering and almost extravagant craftsmanship. Although The Doves sprang from very much the same Arts and Crafts inspiration as the Kelmscott Press, that elaborately decorated medievalism is nowhere to be found. There is no woodcut illustration, no horror vacui. Likewise there is nothing of that true hero of art nouveau, Charles Ricketts or his friend the artist Lucien Pissarro. In its time, the Doves Press stands alone, and not imitated. Yet the types of the Doves Press were to prove enormously influential in design over the next fifty years, most particularly in Germany and the Netherlands where several proprietary founts were based upon it. Perhaps it is interesting to reflect that Edward Johnston s Railway Type (1918) was the first of the twentieth-century sans serifs and is still used by London Underground today and it is a nice thought that but for Cobden- Sanderson s actions, we might be reading the timetables in Emery Walker s elegant roman. The greatest of the forty or so Doves Press books are Paradise Lost (arguably the finest of the lot) and The English Bible (with its unforgettable IN THE BEGINNING), Paradise Regain d and Faust. Take the The English Bible : The lettering was designed by Edward Johnston. The type, excepting the Arabic numerals, was a redrawing, supervised by Emery Walker, of the type used by Nicholas Jenson in his 1476 edition of Pliny s Historia Naturale. No Bible, and only one book, the Paradise Lost printed earlier at the Press, was ever printed like this before in England. The theory underlying its design is to be found in Cobden-Sanderson s

3 The Ideal Book or Book Beautiful, the intended first book printed at the Doves Press in The perfect craftsmanship is Walker s contribution. As early as June 1911, in his Last Will and testament or Consecratio, Cobden-Sanderson had spelled out what he proposed to do: To the Bed of the River Thames, the river on whose banks I have printed all my printed books, I bequeath The Doves Press Fount of Type the punches, the matrices, and the type in use at the time of my death, and may the river in its tides and flow pass over them to and from the great sea for ever and for ever, or until its tides and flow for ever cease; then may they share the fate of all the world, and pass from change to change for ever upon the Tides of time, untouched of other use and all else. The punches and matrices were thrown into the Thames on Good Friday, 1913, however the first lot of type did not go from his chosen spot on green-and-gold Hammersmith Bridge until 31 August, Thereafter in a process of about 170 trips, a small, frail seventy-six year old man carried more than a ton of type from 15 Upper Mall over about five months. This catalogue of Doves Press books commemorates these strange events in First World War London. Anyone with a fellow mind to commemorate can drop into the snug at The Dove, 19 Upper Mall, around eight on Friday, 16 th December for a drink before proceeding up to Hammersmith Bridge to see what spirits might be abroad on that night Oliver Clark

4 CATALOGUE This is an unusually broad collection of Doves Press books on offer. Please note that for the convenience of the vendor prices are listed in U.S. dollars. All books are on display at the shop. 1.Publius Cornelius Tacitus, Agricola. Cornelii Taciti de vita et Moribus Julii Agricolae Liber. 4to, 23.5cm, 20 leaves, pp.[4] i- [xxxiii]. Colophon reads: Officina Colburaum excuderunt T.J. Cobden-Sanderson et Emery Walker textum recensuit J.W.Mackail typos composuit J.H.Mason prelum exercuit H.Gage-Cole XIV Kal. Nov. MDCCCC [19 October 1900]. One of 225 copies printed on specially watermarked handmade paper (plus 5 on vellum), done entirely in black in Doves face type. Cased in full limp vellum, lettered in gilt TACITI AGRICOLA, inner pastedown stamped THE DOVES BINDERY. Small library label on the rear pastedown, otherwise an immaculate copy. $1,000 The first book of the Doves Press. The Latin text displays the text with admirable evenness. 2.Thomas James Cobden-Sanderson, The Ideal Book or Book Beautiful. The Ideal book or Book Beautiful A Tract on Calligraphy Printing and Illustration & on the Book Beautiful as a Whole. 4to, 23.5cm, 8 leaves, pp.[1-4] 1-[10], Colophon reads: This Tract, written by T.J. Cobden Sanderson was printed by him & Emery Walker at the Doves Press and finished Oct.19, Compositor J.H. Mason. Pressman J.H. Gage- Cole. Sold at the Doves Press. One of 300 (plus 10 vellum) copies on specially watermarked handmade paper printed entirely in black in Doves face type. Limp vellum, gilt lettered THE IDEAL BOOK, inner pastedown stamped THE DOVES BINDERY. Small library label on the rear pastedown, otherwise an immaculate copy. $1,800 The second book of the Press is a revision of a paper originally read by Cobden-Sanderson to the Art Workers Guild in On 8 June 1900 Cobden-Sanderson wrote to Edward Johnston saying that he planned to print it at our new press, as a sort of pronouncement of its views. From any point of view, it must be regarded as a seminal work of the Arts and Crafts movement.

5 3.John William Mackail, William Morris. William Morris An Address delivered the XII November MDCCCC at Kelmscott House Hammersmith before the Hammersmith Socialist Society. 4to, 23.5cm, 16 leaves, pp.[4] 1-27, Colophon reads: This address was printed by T.J. Cobden-Sanderson and Emery Walker at the Doves Press and finished April 24, Compositor J.H. Mason. Pressman H. Gage-Cole. Sold at the Doves Press. One of 300 (plus 15 on vellum) copies set in 'Doves' face types and printed in black and red on specially watermarked hand-made hand-made paper. Bound in full vellum, goldlettered WILLIAM MORRIS on the spine. A fine copy. $800 This copy of the third book has a lengthy presentation inscription from Daniel Evans to J.H. Bingham on the front endpaper. 4.Tennyson, Alfred Lord, Baron Tennyson [Selections and Extracts.] Seven Poems & Two Translations Alfred Lord Tennyson. 4to., 23.5cm, 28 leaves, pp.[1-4] 5-[56], Colophon reads: Printed by T.J. Cobden-Sanderson & Emery Walker at the Doves Press by permission of Lord Tennyson and Messrs Macmillan & Co., and finished April 7 th Compositor J. Guttridge. Pressman J. Ryan & T. Waller. Sold at the Doves Press. One of 325 (plus 25 vellum) copies on specially watermarked handmade paper printed in black and red in Doves face type. Full limp vellum, gilt lettered TENNYSON, inner pastedown stamped THE DOVES BINDERY. Small library label on the rear pastedown, otherwise an immaculate copy. $1,000 The fourth book of the Doves Press

6 5.John Milton, Paradise Lost. Paradise Lost A Poem in XII Books the Author John Milton. 4to, 23.5cm, 200 leaves, pp[1-2] [12], Colophon reads Printed by T.J. Cobden-Sanderson & Emery Walker at the Doves Press and finished 3 June Compositor J.H. Mason. Pressmen H.Gage- Cole, J. Ryan, T. Waller, A. Beaumont. Penmen Edward Johnston, Grayley [sic] Hewitt. Sold at the Doves Press. One of 300 (plus 25 on vellum) copies set in 'Doves' face types on specially watermarked handmade paper. Seven- six- four- and two line initial letters printed in red. Four-line initial letters at the beginning of Books 2-12 are written in blue and red alternately. Bound in full limp vellum gilt-lettered PARADISE LOST, inner pastedown stamped THE DOVES BINDERY. Some light foxing to fore edge of title and fore edge of signature [a], appearing occasionally elsewhere at the fore-edge. Neat book label at rear. A very good copy. John Milton, Paradise Regained. Paradise Regain d A Poem in IV Books to which are added Samson Agonistes & Poems both English and Latin compos d on Several Occasions the Author John Milton. 4to., 23.5cm, 172 leaves, pp.[1-4] 5-[344], Colophon reads Printed by T.J. Cobden-Sanderson and Emery Walker at The Doves Press, & finished June Compositors: J.H. Mason, W. Jenkins. Pressmen: H. Gage-Cole, J. Ryan, Albert Lewis. The Greek type used in this edition was designed by Selwyn Image and for its use the Printers are indebted to the courtesy of Messrs Macmillan and Co. Ltd. Sold at The Doves Press. One of 300 (plus 25 on vellum) copies set in 'Doves' face types on specially watermarked handmade paper. Two- to fifteen- line initial letters printed in red. Full limp vellum, gilt lettered PARADISE REGAINED, inner pastedown stamped THE DOVES BINDERY. Neat book label at rear. A fine copy. Seldom found together because of their separate dates of publication and the superior attractiveness of Paradise Lost. $5,000 6.The Bible. [Version of 1611 with Apocrypha.]

7 The English Bible Containing the Old Testament & the New Testament translated out of the Original Tongues by Special Command of His Majesty King James the First and now reprinted with the text revised by a collation of its early and other principal editions and edited by the late Rev. F.H. Scrivener M.A. LL.D. For the Syndics of the University Press Cambridge Vol.1 [II,III,IV,V] Large 4to, 34cm, 5 vols, 395p, 520p, 392p, 302p, 308p, Sold at The Doves Press, One of 500 (plus 2 on vellum) sets done in 'Doves' face types (with some Greek type) on specially watermarked handmade paper. Printed in red and black with initial letters designed by Edward Johnston. Original full limp vellum bindings gilt-lettered THE ENGLISH BIBLE, inner pastedowns stamped THE DOVES BINDERY. Mild toning of the vellum, particularly to Volume 1. Spine of Volume 1 a bit darkened. First signature of Volume 1 with a lighter amount of foxing than usual. GENESIS leaf extremely clean. Some light foxing to top edges. A very good copy indeed. $18,500 This particular edition of the Bible is considered the masterpiece of the Doves Press... The type is a particularly crisp and faithful version of Jenson s fifteenth-century roman. It was cut in only one size, which was used in all the issues of the Press. When the Press was discontinued in 1916, the type and matrices were destroyed by Cobden-Sanderson to prevent their misuse. (Huntington Library, Great Books in Great Editions.) The distinctive red initial, executed by Edward Johnston, are described by Ransom (Private Presses, p.56) as a pattern for all time of complexity reduced to the minimum of simplicity.

8 7.Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Faust. Faust Eine Tragoedie von Goethe. 4to, 23.5cm, 132 leaves, pp.[1-6]7-[261], Colophon reads Printed by T.J.Cobden-Sanderson & Emery Walker from the 1887 Weimar edition and published November Compositors: J.H. Mason, and W. Jenkins. Pressmen H. Gage-Cole, and Albert Lewis. Sold at the Doves Press. One of 300 (plus 25 on vellum) copies set in 'Doves' face types on specially watermarked handmade paper. Ten-, four and three-line letters; characters, stage directions, titles, acts, scenes and marginalia printed in red. Full limp vellum, gilt-lettered FAUST, inner pastedown stamped THE DOVES BINDERY. A fine copy. $1,650 A second volume was published in William Shakespeare, Sonnets. Shakespeare s Sonnets Tercentenary Edition. 4to, 23.5cm, 44 leaves, pp. [1-5] 6-[86],, Colophon reads Printed by T.J. Cobden-Sanderson at the Doves Press, 15 Upper Mall Hammersmith from the first edition imprinted at London by G. Eld for T.T. 1609, withe such corrections only as are set out overleaf... [etc], One of 250 (plus 15 on vellum) copies set in 'Doves' face types on specially watermarked handmade paper. Printed in red and black with four capitals (the colophon states three) designed by Edward Johnston and engraved by Noel Rooke and Eric Gill. Bound in quarter vellum gilt-lettered SHAKE-SPEARES SONNETS, grey Ingres paper-covered boards stamped THE DOVES BINDERY on the inner pastedown. A fine copy. $1,500 I notice that Marianne Tidcombe in her invaluable work The Doves Press, makes no reference to any but a full vellum binding upon this book, but this is unmistakeably correct and I have seen it before.

9 9.Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Werther. Die Lieden des Jungen Werther von Goethe. 4to, 23.5cm, 98 leaves, pp.[1-9] 10-[188], Colophon reads Printed by T.J. Cobden-Sanderson at the Doves Press, 15 Upper Mall, Hammersmith, from the 1899 Weimar edition. Compositor: William Jenkins. Pressmen: H. Gage-Cole & Albert Lewis. Published & Sold at the Doves Press, One of 200 (plus 25 on vellum) copies set in 'Doves' face types and printed on specially watermarked handmade paper. Printed in red and black with initials. Bound in full vellum, gilt-lettered WERTHER, inner pastedown stamped THE DOVES BINDERY. A fine copy. $1, The Doves Press, Catalogue Raisonne, Second Edition. Catalogue Raisonne of Books printed & published at the Doves Press Small 4to, 23.5cm, 8 leaves, pp[2] [1]-12, The Doves Press, Upper Mall, Hammersmith, May Published November One of 250 copies set in Doves face type and printed on specially watermarked handmade paper. Paragraph marks, etc, in red. Linen spine and blue paper-covered boards, printed on the upper cover THE DOVES PRESS. The final Catalogue Raisonne (1916) erroneously states that 350 copies were produced Slight wear to spine, ex libris Abel E. Berland. A very good copy. $450

10 11.William Shakespeare, Anthony and Cleopatra The Tragedie of Anthony and Cleopatra by William Shakespeare (1623). Small 4to, 23.5cm, 72 leaves, pp.[1-] 7-[142], Colophon reads: Printed by T.J. Cobden-Sanderson at the Doves Press, 15 Upper Mall, Hammersmith, from the Text of the First Folio, etc...compositor William Jenkins. Pressmen: H. Gage-Cole & Albert Lewis. Published and sold at the Doves Press, One of 200 (plus 15 on vellum) copies set in 'Doves' face types and printed on specially watermarked handmade paper. Printed in red and black with initials. Italics used in the Errata. Bound in full vellum, gilt-lettered ANTHONY AND CLEOPATRA, inner pastedown stamped THE DOVES BINDERY. A fine copy. $1, Percy Bysshe Shelley, [Selections] Shelley Small 4to, 23.5cm, 92 leaves, pp.[1-6] 7-181, Colophon reads Selected, Arranged and Printed at the Doves Press, 15 Upper Mall, Hammersmith, by T.J. Cobden- Sanderson... Compositor: W. Jenkins. Pressmen: H. Gage-Cole & Albert Lewis. Published and Sold at the Doves Press, One of 200 (plus 12 on vellum) copies set in 'Doves' face types and printed on specially watermarked handmade paper. Printed in red and black with initials. Two lines printed in Greek. Bound in full vellum, gilt-lettered SHELLEY, inner pastedown stamped THE DOVES BINDERY. A fine copy. $1,500

11 13.William Shakespeare, The Rape of Lucrece Lucrece (1594). Small 4to, 23.5cm, 40 leaves, pp.[1-7] 8-[78], Colophon reads: Printed by T.J. Cobden-Sanderson at the Doves Press, 15 Upper Mall, Hammersmith, from the Text of the First Edition, etc...compositor William Jenkins. Pressmen: H. Gage-Cole & Albert Lewis. Published and sold at the Doves Press, One of 175 (plus 10 on vellum) copies set in 'Doves' face types and printed on specially watermarked handmade paper. Printed in black with initials in red. Bound in full vellum, gilt-lettered LVCRECE, inner pastedown stamped THE DOVES BINDERY. A fine copy. $1, William Wordsworth, The Prelude. The Prelude An autobiographical Poem by William Wordsworth, MDCCCCXV. Small 4to, 23.5cm, 152 leaves, pp.[1-8] 8-[302], Colophon reads: Printed by T.J. Cobden-Sanderson at the Doves Press, 15 Upper Mall, Hammersmith, from the Text of the First Edition, 1850.Compositor William Jenkins. Pressman: Albert Lewis. [H. Gage-Cole is at the front as stretcher-bearer ]. Published and sold at the Doves Press, One of 155 (plus 10 on vellum) copies set in 'Doves' face types and printed on specially watermarked handmade paper. Printed in black with fourteen initials in red. Marginalia in red. Bound in full vellum, gilt-lettered THE PRELUDE, inner pastedown stamped THE DOVES BINDERY. Gilt-lettering to spine rubbed. A very good copy indeed. $850