Ink & Blood

New York: Heritage Press, 1946. Limited edition. Hardcover. Fine. Szyk, Arthur. A limited edition of 1,000, this collection of Arthur Szyk's work was inscribed by the artist to each subscriber. Lengthy (17 page) Prefatory remarks by Strothers Burt. Frontis plus four more full color plates and 74 monochrome lithographic drawings in sepia. The color plates are lovely works showing the people and symbols of America, Russia, France and England, with brilliant colors and painted in his amazing miniaturist detail.

Large 4to (9" x 12 1/2"), full black morocco. Handmade endpapers match the paper-covered slipcase, done in a geometric design not unlike Batik. Fine, no previous owner's marks. Box is slightly faded at one end, light wear to the rounded slipcase guides at top and bottom.

Szyk is best known for his scathing indictments of the Nazis and this contains much of that work, including the famous "Murder, Inc" with Hitler, Mussolini and Hirohito along with anti-Axis and anti-Nazi caricatures and cartoons. All color plates mounted. Printed on letterpress. The plate names say it all: Schicklgruber-Lohengrin, Hitler's Birthday in Tokyo, The Cheerful Idiots, The Superkraut, etc. In 1940, Szyk was living in New York City and this work, as it first appeared in top magazines of the day, helped elicit the U.S. to see the reality of what the Nazis were doing to his fellow Jews. This remains his seminal work, collected just after the war.

The pebbled leather binding is often found in less than fine condition, this is an exceptional copy. Inscribed to Grace and Willis Heath (the entire edition was hand-inscribed to each subscriber by Szyk, in his hand). Signed by Szyk.