The Hansom Cab and the Pigeons; Being Random Reflections upon the Silver Jubilee of King George V.

8vo, 9 1/2 x 6 1/4 in. (240 x 160 mm); (vi) + 46 + (vi) wood-engraved illustrations by Eric Ravilious, slight offsetting to title, original morocco-backed marbled boards, spine rubbed with some fading but binding tight and square; t.e.g, rest uncut; pages bright and crisp. Colophon ends with the words: "God save the King !" and bears the ink signature of the author and the number 115 (out of a limited first edition of 212 on hand-made paper; a further 1000 copies were printed on machine-made paper, unsigned and un-numbered). [Chanticleer 105]. This is a charming little volume by the Golden Cockerel Press, printed to mark the Silver Jubilee of King George V in May 1935 and bears a superb wood-engraved frontispiece, a head-piece illustrating transport and progress (steam train crossing a viaduct, a biplane, windmills) and fifteen further decorative wood-engraved vignettes by Eric Ravilious (1903 - 1942) the famed engraver, water-colorist and muralist who depicted war scenes while he was assigned to the Admiralty during W.W. II. He was lost in action in Iceland in 1942. This is one of three books illustrated by Ravilious for the Golden Cockerel Press. Founded by Harold Midgely Taylor in 1920 with the object of publishing new works of literary significance by young authors and to print and publish fine editions of books of established worth. When Mr. Taylor retired in 1924 it was purchased by Robert Gibbings, known as an illustrator and woodcutter (Tomkinson, p .93) "Golden Cockerel books are amongst the most popular and desirable private press items." (Ransom p. 106).…