Balyn & Balan

(Ebenezer Press 1969). Limited Edition # 78 of 100 copies. English Yew (wood) folio in purple cloth chemise. Approximately. 21 inches by 14-1/4 inches. Covers by George Coulter Limited, natural hide spine and gilt block lettering by Ted Robbins of the Royal College of Art Bookbinding. Title page and prints signed by Clarke. Prints have tissue guards. "Balyn and Balan" is one of the lesser known Arthurian legends. The 18 pages of text and the title page are cut by hand on blocks obtained from the wood of a single apple tree; the 23 illustrations are cut from wood and lino. These are combined into 16 folded sheets which are hand printed on Mellotex High White Cartridge using a Cogger (1820) press. This is thought to be the only such machine still in operation, which with the artist's print shop, constitutes Ebenezer Press. "Balan and Balyn" was Clarke's first hand-printed "Artist’s Book.". A fine copy with some spotting to leather spine and reverse edges of a few of the 16 sheets. The purple cloth chemise has a couple of small holes to stitching. A unique copy in that Clarke has hand-numbered Illustration 15 as 14, so although the illustrations are all present and correct, there are two 14s pencilled to reverse. Original Prospectus laid in. This is a VERY heavy item (8 lbs) and additional postage will be required. Signed by Illustrator(s). Graham Clarke, artist, author, illustrator and humorist, is one of Britain's most popular and best-selling printmakers.…