PARADISE LOST: A Poem in Twelve Books; [includes a partial portfolio of the companion prints issued in 2004].
San Francisco: Arion Press, 2002. First edition thus: edited with note on text by John T. Shawcross and introduction by Helen Vendler. The 64th publication of the press, printed by Andrew Hoyem. Number 252 of 400 numbered copies (an additional 26 copies were issued hors de commerce). Small 4to black cloth boards with gilt-stamped purple leather spine label; 396 pages plus colophon. Housed in original black cloth slipcase with matching leather label. Both book and slipcase are fine with only the barest wear. TOGETHER WITH A PARTIAL PORTFOLIO OF COLOR PRINTS reproducing the original ink and watercolor drawings by William Blake in the Huntington Library. The prints were published by the press “on demand” in 2004 as a companion to the 2002 volume, which was issued without any illustrations, with the stipulation that the number of copies not exceed 400 [Arion Press #69]. Copy number 79. Includes tile page, introductory leaf, list of plates, introductory leaves with descriptions and commentaries by Robert N. Essick and John T. Shawcross for all 13 prints, colophon, and 8 of the 13 called-for prints. Housed together in a folio-sized black cloth-covered portfolio with white paper label printed in black on front. The missing plates are titled as follows: (2) “Satan, Sin, and Death: Satan Comes to the Gates of Hell” [note: plate 13, the “large version” of this drawing, is still present]; (5) “Satan Watching the Endearments of Adam and Ave”; (7) “The Rout of the Rebel Angels”; (8) “The Creation of Eve”; and (9) “The Temptation and Fall of Eve.” (Plates 1, 3, 4, 6, 10, 11, and 13 are present.) Front label shows a light stain otherwise the portfolio with its laid-in textual leaves and plates is fine with only the mildest of wear. Quite scarce with any semblance of the portfolio at all.
Item #72772
Price: $1,500.00