![MATHERS, Edward Powys (1892-1939). Procreant Hymn. Waltham Saint Lawrence, Berkshire: The Golden Cockerel Press, 1926. 8° (240 x 160mm). Engraved frontispiece and 5 engraved plates by and after Eric Gill and 4 ENGRAVED PROOFS EACH INITIALLED AND NUMBERED 2/25 BY GILL in pencil tipped onto the pre- and postliminary leaves [Skelton Eric Gill. The Engravings P364, P365, P367 and P366], woodcut press device on colophon. Original cream buckram lettered in gilt on the spine, top edge gilt, dustwrapper (corners very lightly bumped, bookblock with short split, dustwrapper lightly marked, small chips and tears at edges). Provenance: Rainforth Armitage Walker (bookplate). Limited to 200 copies, this no. 19 of 25 copies for presentation. Chanticleer 37.](https://www.christies.com/img/LotImages/2005/CKS/2005_CKS_07088_0113_000(110227).jpg?w=1)
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MATHERS, Edward Powys (1892-1939). Procreant Hymn. Waltham Saint Lawrence, Berkshire: The Golden Cockerel Press, 1926. 8° (240 x 160mm). Engraved frontispiece and 5 engraved plates by and after Eric Gill and 4 ENGRAVED PROOFS EACH INITIALLED AND NUMBERED 2/25 BY GILL in pencil tipped onto the pre- and postliminary leaves [Skelton Eric Gill. The Engravings P364, P365, P367 and P366], woodcut press device on colophon. Original cream buckram lettered in gilt on the spine, top edge gilt, dustwrapper (corners very lightly bumped, bookblock with short split, dustwrapper lightly marked, small chips and tears at edges). Provenance: Rainforth Armitage Walker (bookplate). Limited to 200 copies, this no. 19 of 25 copies for presentation. Chanticleer 37.
E.P. MATHERS. Autograph letter signed to [Rainforth Armitage] Walker, Durham Leys Cottage, March Baldon, Oxford, 26 June 1926, 1 page, 8°, thanking Walker for his letter and for 'liking the Hymn' -- 'In a troublous week your commendation was balm'.
A RARE PRESENTATION COPY OF THE FIRST GOLDEN COCKEREL BOOK ILLUSTRATED BY GILL, with four proof engravings and a letter about the work from the author. Skelton transcribes a press-notice stating that 'Subscribers may be interested to know that three alternative designs have been engraved for this book and may be obtained from the artist', and concludes that 'Presumably one design was not offered' ('Checklist' no. 125). Certainly, three of the proofs are more sexually-explicit versions of the published images, but, although similarly explicit, the fourth is very different in composition. Of five presentation copies sold at auction since 1975, only one other contains four rather than three proof engravings, indicating that not all of the 25 presentation copies included all four proofs. Rainforth Armitage Walker was best known as an authority upon Aubrey Beardsley, and wrote, edited, and translated works on or by other artists and writers of the 1890s. (2)
E.P. MATHERS. Autograph letter signed to [Rainforth Armitage] Walker, Durham Leys Cottage, March Baldon, Oxford, 26 June 1926, 1 page, 8°, thanking Walker for his letter and for 'liking the Hymn' -- 'In a troublous week your commendation was balm'.
A RARE PRESENTATION COPY OF THE FIRST GOLDEN COCKEREL BOOK ILLUSTRATED BY GILL, with four proof engravings and a letter about the work from the author. Skelton transcribes a press-notice stating that 'Subscribers may be interested to know that three alternative designs have been engraved for this book and may be obtained from the artist', and concludes that 'Presumably one design was not offered' ('Checklist' no. 125). Certainly, three of the proofs are more sexually-explicit versions of the published images, but, although similarly explicit, the fourth is very different in composition. Of five presentation copies sold at auction since 1975, only one other contains four rather than three proof engravings, indicating that not all of the 25 presentation copies included all four proofs. Rainforth Armitage Walker was best known as an authority upon Aubrey Beardsley, and wrote, edited, and translated works on or by other artists and writers of the 1890s. (2)
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