A Child's Garden of Verses; With Nine Poems Not Published in Prior Editions
San Francisco: The Press in Tuscany Alley, 1978. Wilson, Joyce Lancaster. Limited Edition. Hardcover. One of 500 copies, quarto size, 114 pp., signed by Joyce Lancaster Wilson and Adrian Wilson. Fine. Item #26100404
The Press in Tuscany Alley was one of San Francisco's small private press jewels. Adrian Wilson (1924-1988) was both a book designer and a scholar, authoring "The Design of Books" which is regarded as a classic text on book design. As the New York Times stated in his obituary "Mr. Wilson designed and printed scores of books, and became a mentor to younger men and women eager to learn the printer's craft. His many volumes, while little-known to the general public, are famous among print connoisseurs, and many are collector's items."
When Adrian Wilson donated old proofs of "A Child's Garden of Verses" (for a work not, as of that date, printed) to the Silverado Museum devoted to the works of Robert Louis Stevenson, the founder and curator urged him to publish a limited edition of the verses. They were the ones who suggested that he contact the Beinecke Library (Yale University), which had in their archives nine poems of Stevenson's that had "been eliminated from the first and all later editions"; the Beinecke provided copies of the verses and permission to print them, and hence this book was born.
With colour illustrations by Adrian's wife, Joyce Lancaster Wilson, the Wilsons produced a heartbreakingly lovely book, a perfect marriage of Stevenson's wonderful poems for children with Joyce Wilson's charming pictures, designed by the master, Adrian Wilson.
___DESCRIPTION: Original quarter green linen with a paper spine label, decorative green paper covered boards printed at The Press, green endpapers, fore- and bottom edges uncut, thirty-six decorative initials and ten illustrations in colour by Joyce Lancaster Wilson; types Centaur and Arrighi, Arches Laid Text paper, quarto size (10 1/8" x 6 1/2"), pagination: [1-10] 11-114 [1 colophon], limited edition, this copy no. 9 (total edition size 500 copies, only 300 of which were bound), signed by both Joyce Lancaster Wilson and Adrian Wilson on the colophon (note that Adrian did not sign all copies, we have had at least two copies which were only signed by Joyce).
___CONDITION: Fine overall, the boards clean and unmarked, straight corners, a strong, square text block with solid hinges, the interior is clean and bright, and it is entirely free of prior owner markings; very light rubbing to the top front corner and a hint of rubbing to the bottom edges of the boards near the corners, else fine.
___CITATION: "The Work and Play of Adrian Wilson", no. 182.
___POSTAGE: International customers, please note the following: (i) additional postage may apply as the standard does not always cover costs, please inquire for details; and (ii) any taxes, duty, or tariffs charged by your country will, of necessity, be your responsibility.
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Price: $450.00