The Poet's Cat

Publication: London, George G. Harrap & Co. Ltd, 1946 Formatting: 8vo, pp. 116. Condition Report: Very Good. The full blue leather binding remains tightly bound and square, presenting beautifully with only trivial rubbing to the extremities of the spine and corners. The gilt tooling to the spine and the gilt top edge remain remarkably bright and unoxidised. Internally, the text block is exceptionally clean and crisp, devoid of foxing, handling marks, or heavy age-toning, reflecting a book that has been well-protected by its slipcase. The original textured paper slipcase is structurally sound, showing some light surface wear and slight peeling to the lower left corner of the printed paper label, yet it continues to serve its protective purpose admirably. An excellent, highly attractive copy. Catalogue Note: This edition of The Poet's Cat is an intriguing post-war production. Bearing the "Book Production War Economy Standard" logo on the copyright page, the text block adheres to the strict paper rationing guidelines of the era. However, this copy is unusually presented in a handsome full blue leather binding, complete with a custom paper-labelled slipcase. While a signed limited edition of 110 copies in quarter calf was formally issued alongside the standard cloth trade run, full leather variants such as this are exceptionally scarce on the open market and likely represent a custom presentation binding or a deluxe secondary issue commissioned shortly after publication. The text is beautifully elevated by a striking frontispiece engraved by the compiler's husband, Stephen Gooden (1892—1955), one of the foremost British line engravers and book illustrators of the twentieth century, celebrated for his precision and classical sensibility. Blurb: Compiled by Mona Gooden, The Poet's Cat is a delightful anthology dedicated entirely to the feline muse. Bringing together verses from a wide array of celebrated poets—from Thomas Hardy and Christina Rossetti to John Keats, Percy Bysshe Shelley, and William Wordsworth—the collection captures the enigmatic, aloof, and endlessly captivating nature of cats. Accompanied by a masterfully engraved frontispiece by Stephen Gooden, this anthology remains an essential and beautifully presented volume for both poetry lovers and ailurophiles alike.…