(Morte d'Arthur). The Birth, Life and Acts of King Arthur, of his Noble Knights of the Round Table, their Marvellous Enquests and Adventures, the Achieving of the San Greal and in the end le Morte Darthur with the Dolourous Death and Departing out of this World of them all
Beardsley. Malory, Sir Thomas
London. J. M. Dent. 1893–1894
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First edition in a handsome binding.
De luxe edition of 300 copies in three volumes printed on Dutch handmade paper of an edition of 1800 copies.
Beautifully bound by Cedric Chivers of Bath, at or just after the time of publication, in three superb bindings of full light brown niger morocco over bevelled boards. Front covers panelled in gilt and blind around large central inlays of transparent vellum over hand-drawn ink and watercolour scenes from the Arthurian legends, heightened in gilt; rear covers ruled in gilt and blind around similar small central inlays. Spines panelled in gilt and blind in compartments, each with two inlays of transparent vellum over hand-decorated ink and watercolour lettering pieces, heightened in gilt, in the style of an illuminated manuscript. Each volume housed in a fleece-lined tan buckram clamshell case.
These superb bindings are in the style of, or possibly by, the well-known artist of the period, H. Granville Fell. The romantic, lush watercolour illustrations on the covers and the illuminated lettering pieces on the spines perfectly complement Beardsley's famous and masterly illustrations to this classic work.
In 1892, seeking to emulate the books of the Kelmscott Press, John M. Dent commissioned the twenty-year-old Beardsley to produce this edition of Le Morte D'Arthur. The 351 designs appearing in the first edition required eighteen months for the artist to complete.
Of this, Beardsley's first major work, John Lewis states: 'In Le Morte d'Arthur Beardsley learnt his job, but the result is no bungling student's work ... If he had never illustrated another book, this edition of Morte d'Arthur could stand as a monument of decorative book illustration ... '. [The Twentieth Century Book, pp. 148-149].
De luxe edition of 300 copies in three volumes printed on Dutch handmade paper of an edition of 1800 copies.
Beautifully bound by Cedric Chivers of Bath, at or just after the time of publication, in three superb bindings of full light brown niger morocco over bevelled boards. Front covers panelled in gilt and blind around large central inlays of transparent vellum over hand-drawn ink and watercolour scenes from the Arthurian legends, heightened in gilt; rear covers ruled in gilt and blind around similar small central inlays. Spines panelled in gilt and blind in compartments, each with two inlays of transparent vellum over hand-decorated ink and watercolour lettering pieces, heightened in gilt, in the style of an illuminated manuscript. Each volume housed in a fleece-lined tan buckram clamshell case.
These superb bindings are in the style of, or possibly by, the well-known artist of the period, H. Granville Fell. The romantic, lush watercolour illustrations on the covers and the illuminated lettering pieces on the spines perfectly complement Beardsley's famous and masterly illustrations to this classic work.
In 1892, seeking to emulate the books of the Kelmscott Press, John M. Dent commissioned the twenty-year-old Beardsley to produce this edition of Le Morte D'Arthur. The 351 designs appearing in the first edition required eighteen months for the artist to complete.
Of this, Beardsley's first major work, John Lewis states: 'In Le Morte d'Arthur Beardsley learnt his job, but the result is no bungling student's work ... If he had never illustrated another book, this edition of Morte d'Arthur could stand as a monument of decorative book illustration ... '. [The Twentieth Century Book, pp. 148-149].
pp. xc, 290; (4), 291-664; (4), 665-990, (1). 3 vols. 4to. With 2 mounted photogravure frontispieces on India paper (in vols. 1 & 3), and 18 full-page wood engravings (including five double-page), numerous text illustrations, and approximately 350 designs for chapter headings and borders, all by Aubrey Beardsley. Vignettes on titles and initials printed in red. With original wrappers bound in throughout the three volumes. With inserted slips to subscribers and binders from the publisher, tipped in at front of Volume 1. Full light brown niger morocco by Cedric Chivers of Bath (see below).
#37173
