THE BIRDS AND BEASTS OF SHAKESPEARE
(Easthampton, MA): Cheloniidae Press, 1990. Alan James Robinson. First Edition. hardcover. Folio (10-3/8" x 15-7/8"), the exact untrimmed size of the First Folio of 1623, bound by Claudia Cohen and Sarah Creighton in full gilt-lettered rust morocco, with marbled endsheets by Faith Harrison, in a custom cloth clamshell box with a gilt-lettered large morocco spine label. Designed by illustrator Alan James Robinson and Arthur Kinney, who wrote the text. Illustrated with 54 wood engravings depicting the birds and beasts and one wood engraving as well as an etching of Shakespeare. This is copy #I of 5 special proof copies (of a total edition of only 131) printed by Harold Patrick McGrath on Cheloniidae rag made specially for the Press, the first paper to carry a Cheloniidae watermark, and SIGNED by the illustrator on the colophon page. With an extra suite of the engravings and etching, each SIGNED and numbered by Robinson, plus another suite, issued only with the limitation of 5, containing two working proofs of each wood engraving and three state proofs of the etching, all SIGNED by Robinson. In addition there are two ORIGINAL PENCIL DRAWINGS--one of a wolf, the other a lion--INSCRIBED and SIGNED by the artist to the original owner. Prospectus laid in. The rarest state of the greatest achievement of the press. Fine in a clamshell box, a beautiful book. Item #015716
Price: $12,500.00