LETTERS UPON SUBJECTS OF GENERAL INTEREST FROM JOHN RUSKIN TO VARIOUS CORRESPONDENTS with FOUR AUTOGRAPH LETTERS SIGNED by Ruskin tipped in
London: Privately printed (Not for Sale), 1892. First Edition. Hardcover. Full gilt-decorated dark blue morocco by Zaensdorf, gilt dentelles with silk endpapers, all edges gilt; recently and professionally rebacked with the original spine. With 4 Autograph Letters SIGNED by Ruskin tipped in at the front and rear of the volume. According to a printed statement after the title page, the book was limited to a few copies for private circulation only. Thomas Wise in his bibliography of Ruskin states, "The volume contains thirty-six letters, five of which had appeared previously in various magazines, the remaining thirty-one being printed here for the first time." According to W. G. Partington in his book about Wise, FORGING AHEAD (page 294), this was printed by R. Clay & Sons for Wise, who stated that 40 copies were issued, 33 printed on paper and 7 on vellum. This is one of the 7 printed on vellum and with two colophon pages, the first stating that the book was privately printed in 1890 followed by a page correctly stating it was printed in 1892. In the paper copies an erratum slip was inserted to correct the mistake. The first of the 4 letters on Corpus Christi College Oxford stationery is undated and addressed only to "My dear Sir." Ruskin apologizes for neglecting his correspondent, stating that his prints "are in hand and I should be glad to see you, with your drawings tomorrow at 2." The second letter, on Brantwood stationery and addressed the same way, dated 26 January 1880, mentions that he will be happy to receive Mr. Newman's drawings. The third letter, also on Brantwood stationery, is to H. Buxton Forman dated 7 May 1876. In part: "Yes, those Kataph papers are mine; written when I was 18 or 19. (I was born 1819)-- I forget their date exactly." This letter was sold at The Anderson Galleries in Sale 1476 in 1920, possibly with the previous letter. The last letter, no year on Denmark Hill stationery, consists of one sentence: "I shall have pleasure in signing the memorial." Evidence of bookplate removal from front pastedown. Except for slight waviness and stiffness to some of the pages, the contents of the book, including the letters, is about Fine as is the binding with the color of the front cover faded to a darker color than the rear. Item #019093
Price: $7,500.00