Auguries of Innocence
Flansham, Bognor Regis, Pear Tree Press, 1914 (first thus).
Small octavo (160 × 125 mm), [iv], 12 leaves printed intaglio on Arches handmade paper (on one side only) in black, silver and brown inks, with designs and two full-page illustrations by James Guthrie.
Original overlapping limp vellum, hand-lettered in black on the front cover; uncut and unopened; covers lightly marked and cockled; minimal offsetting; an excellent copy (internally fine).
Number 21 of 100 copies of this charming publication, hand-numbered by the publisher at the foot of the blank page facing the colophon. This is one of a very small number of copies specially bound in vellum; most were issued in wrappers. The colophon reads 'These are the Proverbs of William Blake, called "Auguries of Innocence". Here written out by Lillian Frost, and printed from plates at the Pear Tree Press by James Guthrie & S.J. Housley'. Guthrie's press was known for its experiments in coloured intaglio printing, and it is generally thought that this publication represents his 'first really competent plate book' (Ransom: 'Private Presses and Their Books', page 377).
Item #126687
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