Silverpoints by Gray John, Signed (1 results)

First edition, number 116 of 250 copies, presentation copy, inscribed by the author on front free endpaper, "Lady Gregory from John Gray April 1893." Signed or inscribed copies of this key 1890s collection are rare: even the deluxe issue of 25 copies was not signed by Gray, and we have traced no other inscribed copies of Silverpoints in auction records. The connection between John Gray and Lady Gregory is probably the French poet Marc-André Raffalovich (1864-1934) who was Gray's partner. Lady Gregory later participated in a spoof medium session organized by Gray when she appeared as "Lady Celeste" and kept a thimble in her mouth to facilitate a foreign accent. The design and format of the book were of importance in Charles Ricketts's attempts to define a new style of book design. Calling Charles Ricketts "the hero of the art nouveau book", John Russell Taylor writing in The Art Nouveau Book in Britain, identifies the importance of Silverpoints and states "in Silverpoints. he made his one notable contribution in format, evolving for it a curious upright shape based on 'one of those rare Aldus italic volumes with its margins uncut'." This collection of original poetry and adaptations or translations from French contemporaries includes Verlaine, Rimbaud and Mallarme. The original cost of publication was borne by Oscar Wilde. The text was not reprinted during the author's lifetime. Brocard Sewell, writing in Two Friends, notes that "several efforts" were made "to persuade the author to publish a new edition; but he would not agree. Father Gray, as the poet has then become, regretted his early poemes noirs; and whenever he saw an opportunity to buy up and 'immobilise' a copy of the book he did so". This copy has a distinguished provenance. After Lady Gregory's ownership it was acquired by Michael Sadleir (1888-1957), the collector, bibliographer and author. It then formed part of the library of Simon Nowell-Smith (1909-1996), librarian of the London Library and president of the Bibliographical Society, and, later, that of his wife Judith Adams Nowell-Smith. It then formed part of the Oscar Wilde collection of Philip K. Cohen. Simon Nowell-Smith referred to this copy in a contribution to "Bibliographical Notes and Queries" in The Book Collector for Spring 1963. Tall octavo. Original green cloth, boards lettered and decorated in gilt, edges uncut. Bookplates or book labels of Lady Gregory, Michael Sadleir, Simon Nowell-Smith and Judith Nowell-Smith on front pastedown or front free endpaper. Head and foot of spine slightly bumped, corners slightly rubbed, browning to free endpapers, otherwise a near-fine copy which is clean and particularly bright.