Gordon Craig's Book of Penny Toys
Craig, Edward Gordon
Mackbridge, Surrey. At the Sign of the Rose. 1899
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First edition of Craig's hand-coloured woodcut paean to the wooden toys of bygone days.
From the edition limited to 550 copies, numbered in ink on the justification on the rear board.
Edward Gordon Craig (1872 - 1966), the son of Ellen Terry, talented artist and designer for the stage, produced this hand-coloured work in 1899. Although the edition was intended to be 550 copies, Craig burned approximately half the edition when he realised the dedication required to complete the colouring (see below). Craig coloured approximately 100 copies before he passed the remainder to Jess Dorynne for completion.
'There were five hundred copies, I think, two hundred and fifty of which I burned. It pleased me to think I burned them, for, if I hadn't, I should have had to colour them all by hand. Two hundred I did colour with the aid of one or two of my friends; and each book had about forty plates, each plate two to four colours ... '. (Craig writing in Woodcuts and Some Words, 1924).
'Wooden toys are far more interesting than those made of metal, having more expression, more colour and more everything else into the bargain. They are perfect things in their way - humorous, delightful, and the older they are (the earlier made) the better the make ... In fact, in every way the penny wooden toy is as superior to a sixpenny wooden toy as the Wooden Warship 'Victory' is to H. M. S. 'Horrible' - Ironclad ... The games to be played with these toys are without an end.' (Craig writing in the foreword, 'Words').
From the edition limited to 550 copies, numbered in ink on the justification on the rear board.
Edward Gordon Craig (1872 - 1966), the son of Ellen Terry, talented artist and designer for the stage, produced this hand-coloured work in 1899. Although the edition was intended to be 550 copies, Craig burned approximately half the edition when he realised the dedication required to complete the colouring (see below). Craig coloured approximately 100 copies before he passed the remainder to Jess Dorynne for completion.
'There were five hundred copies, I think, two hundred and fifty of which I burned. It pleased me to think I burned them, for, if I hadn't, I should have had to colour them all by hand. Two hundred I did colour with the aid of one or two of my friends; and each book had about forty plates, each plate two to four colours ... '. (Craig writing in Woodcuts and Some Words, 1924).
'Wooden toys are far more interesting than those made of metal, having more expression, more colour and more everything else into the bargain. They are perfect things in their way - humorous, delightful, and the older they are (the earlier made) the better the make ... In fact, in every way the penny wooden toy is as superior to a sixpenny wooden toy as the Wooden Warship 'Victory' is to H. M. S. 'Horrible' - Ironclad ... The games to be played with these toys are without an end.' (Craig writing in the foreword, 'Words').
[48 unnumbered leaves]. Contents: 2 blank leaves; printed title with woodcut vignette; 3 leaves of Craig's introductory text; 40 leaves with descriptive verses verso facing large woodcuts; 2 blank leaves. Folio. (330 x 265 mm). Illustration: printed title with woodcut vignette and additional hand-colouring and 20 woodcuts by Edward Gordon Craig, each with original hand-colouring, woodcuts printed recto only, accompanying leaves with verses and small woodcut vignettes (18 with hand-colouring) printed verso only en face, woodcut head- and tail-pieces to introductory text. (Sheet size: c.320 x 255 mm). Original publisher's canvas-backed thick printed card boards, printed title and vignette to front board with hand-colouring, printer's device and justification to rear board, paper label (rubbed) with printed title to spine.
#39922
