EPITHALAMION

[New Rochelle]: George D. Sproul, 1902. No. 11 OF 30 COPIES (18 for America, 12 for Europe) of the "St. Dunstan Edition," ALL PRINTED ON VELLUM. 268 x 210 mm. (10 1/2 x 8 1/4"). [48] leaves, printed on recto only.
ELABORATELY ONLAID AND GILT MOROCCO BY TRAUTZ-BAUZONNET (signed on front and rear doublures, the latter upside-down), COVERS AND DOUBLURES WITH similar intricate designs incorporating FIVE COLORS OF MOROCCO, deep brown covers with double gilt fillet border enclosing triangular cornerpieces onlaid with a taupe arabesque surmounted by a Tudor rose, and with an oblong octagonal triple frame of russet and citron morocco, the ochre strip onlaid with 30 brick red roses linked by curling gilt stems, the taupe morocco center panel with a rectangular triple gilt fillet frame featuring fleuron cornerpieces; raised bands, spine with vertical gilt titling inside a curling gilt frame; TAUPE MOROCCO DOUBLURES with large onlaid dark brown arabesque centerpiece framed by russet and citron borders onlaid with 30 roses, vellum endleaves printed with red single-ruled frame and turnip cornerpieces, all edges gilt. In tan linen chemise in (slightly worn) matching slipcase backed with reddish-brown morocco, raised bands, gilt lettering and decoration. HANDSOMELY ILLUMINATED on every leaf by Nestore Leoni (signed on limitations and title pages). ◆Design of doublure faintly offset to vellum endleaves, the usual naturally occurring variations in the color of the vellum, but QUITE A FINE COPY, the binding lustrous and unworn, and the leaves fresh and bright with rich colors and shining gold.

This unusual "St. Dunstan Edition" was part of a beautiful series of famous literary works produced around the turn of the century in very strictly limited and particularly luxurious printings. Each "Dunstan" volume was printed on vellum, with every page illuminated by hand in a unique way, and put into a binding of striking design executed by Trautz-Bauzonnet, one of the premier French binders of the period. The culmination (and presumably the termination) of this series came with the St. Dunstan edition of the complete works of Dickens (1902-03), projected to contain 130 large folio volumes, produced in an edition of 15, illuminated as above—an undertaking that was surely the most ambitious in the history of modern fine printing. Five volumes only (comprising most of "Pickwick") were produced before the grandeur of the project overwhelmed its sponsors. The style of the illumination here evokes Medieval manuscripts, with generous use of curling acanthus leaves in soft shades of rose pink, lavender, slate blue, and moss green swirling about brushed gilt initials. The limitations and title pages feature partial borders, one employing a pattern of green and gray floral tiles, the other using intricate strapwork extensions. "Epithalamion" is an ode written by Edmund Spenser (d. 1599) to his bride, Elizabeth Boyle, on their wedding day in 1594. Day describes it as "the most beautiful nuptial poem in English, and perhaps in any language." The St. Dunstan books are not common and can be difficult to find in fine shape. The present volume has been very well protected from sun, dust, and shelfwear by its chemise and slipcase..