The Golden Cockerel

New York: The Limited Editions Club [Printed at the Fanfare Press], 1950. Limited Edition. Hardcover. Near Fine/near fine. Dulac, Edmund. One of 1500 copies, quarto size, 44 pp., signed by Edmund Dulac, with Announcement. After Nicholas I, the newly crowned Tsar of Russia, had suppressed the revolutionary rising of December 1825, Alexander Pushkin, who had shown sympathy with the movement but had influential friends at Court, was granted an audience. He was forgiven. When he has gone, Nicholas said to his Secretary of State, Count Bludov "I have been conversing with the wittiest man in Russia." With Pushkin's death Russia lost not only her "wittiest man" but also one of her best poets and a writer who was among the first to lay the foundations of modern Russian literature and to gather together some of the best stories and popular songs from the immense treasure of Russian folklore (from Foreward).

Edmund Dulac (1882-1953), who truly needs no introduction, was the only illustrator of his day on a par with Arthur Rackham and was known for his sensational colors, great design impact, orientalism and humor.

___DESCRIPTION: Bound in Russian-red cloth with brass cockerel on cover and gilt text on spine; teal, gold, and black text and illustrations on title page, illustrated throughout with watercolours by Dulac; set in monotype Poliphilus, Abbey Mills special paper; quarto in size (approximately 12" tall); pagination: (1) - (42), blank (43), colophon (44); signed by illustrator, Limited Edition no. 1285 of 1500. With original glassine wrapper. Russian-red chemise with gold stamped paper of cockerel illustrations, gilt text on spine; Russian-red paper slipcase with no text or decoration. Loosely laid in is the LEC Announcement for the book, a single sheet measuring 8 3/8" by 5 1/2".

___CONDITION: Book in near fine condition; usual tarnishing and light wear to brass cockerel on the front board, all else fine; clean, sturdy, free of prior owner markings. Wrapper near fine with minor wear. Chemise is near fine with sunning to the spine, front and back joints. Slipcase is near fine with sbustantial sunning to the sides, but still strong and sturdy. Announcement near fine, clean, with a few very light creases, no edgewear.

___CITATION: LEC no. 205.

___POSTAGE: International customers, please note that additional postage may apply as the standard does not always cover costs; please inquire for details.

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