An Approach to Type.

FIRST EDITION, frontispiece, numerous figures to the text (being type specimens and other illustrations, pp. 152, 4to, original grey cloth, lettered in gilt to backstrip and upper board, a little faded around the backstrip with the odd faint mark, minor dinks to edges and the corners a little bruised, newspaper clippings relating to type laid in, front flap of dustjacket laid in at rear, good. Inscribed by the author on the flyelaf: 'With John R. Biggs' Compliments, 1949'. The recipient, his pencilled ownership inscription beneath, was Francis Meynell of the Noensuch Press, who has made a note referring to p. 81 - there his 'Typography of Newspaper Advertisements' is listed as 'An admirable essay'. Meynell has also made a pencil annotation at the foot of the half-title, regarding the Gill type-design that is used as the frontispiece - this having been used in a Nonesuch blank book. Meynell, writing in 1950 admits 'I had forgotten that Nonesuch issued these blank books until I read this reference', remembering them as 'Vidalon paper wrappered in Varese Rizzi decorated papers'. Biggs was a typographer and wood-engraver who studied at the Derby School of Art and then the Central School of Arts and Crafts - going on to teach at the latter, before becoming Head of Graphic Design at Brighton School of Art. An excellent association copy.…