About this Item
36x22cm, 113pp. With a large initial by Margaret Adams reproduced by line-block in maroon, collotype reproductions of two watercolours and 26 pencil drawings, text printed in black and blue Cancelleresca Bastarda on W S Hodgkinson handmade paper. Copy D (see below) of 215 (270) signed by Russell Flint and bound in quarter-blue morocco over white canvas-covered boards, t.e.g., gilt rule and gold device blocked to front board, gold title and device to backstrip, in a slipcase with paper covers printed with a reproduction of a marbling pattern in red, blue, green and grey, also marked 'D' at the foot. Undoubtedly Stanbrook's most lavish book, privately printed for the artist Sir William Russell Flint - although the subject matter (prose fantasies inspired by the collection of ship's figureheads on the 'Cutty Sark') and collotype illustrations are rather untypical of the Press. However, the magnificently laid-out and printed Cancelleresca Bastarda in blue and black on W S Hodgkinson handmade paper is quintessentially the SAP style, and the availability of this face was the motivation behind Russell Flint's asking SAP to produce the book. Russell Flint himself designed the marbled paper used (in reproduction) for the endpapers and slipcase. David Butcher records that Russell Flint found Dame Hildelith to be broad-minded when it came to producing a book with 'watercolours of nubile young ladies'. Sought-after by both SAP and Russell Flint collectors. This copy is of particular interest, since its identification as copy ?D? places it outside Butcher?s bibliographic account of the book and its various limitations. Nevertheless, this copy has no variant points from the ordinary binding as described by Butcher, the copy numbers of which which ran from 26 to 240. The letter ?D? in Russell Flint?s hand perhaps points to an unrecorded small limitation of the ordinary binding, outside the main numbering scheme, reserved for his own use. Butcher B11 also records two specially-bound limitations: copies 1-25 in full blue morocco by Sangorski and Sutcliffe, and copies 241-275 in full red morocco by Bayntun-Riviere, the latter reserved for private distribution by Russell Flint (of which we are currently selling a copy, see separate listing). It may be that the creation of the 35 ?red? copies was a relatively late idea which then superseded the intended purpose of the lettered copies of the ordinary binding (and consigned them to unrecorded obscurity). Certainly the change of binder between the two special limitations (from S&S to Bayntun, although the designs are virtually identical) and the red copies? placement at the end of the numbering scheme both suggest that they were perhaps not part of the original plan. Very Good (backstrip moderately sun-faded, shaded areas on pp92-93 probably from offset from a previously laid-in leaf, scattered small foxing spots on a few other pages as often seen) in a Very Good (light shelf wear to edges, neatly repaired splits to the foot) slipcase. Butcher B11.
Seller Inventory # W1342
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