Lancelot & Elaine

Hague and Gill. Malory (Sir Thomas) Text set in Joanna, with rubricated chapter headings and drop-letters Five wood-engravings by Joan Hassall Pigotts,  1948 First Edition, though never officially published Originally limited to two hundred copies, ‘a series of accidents led to many copies being destroyed and the project abandoned.’ [Printed by Hague and Gill, James Davis, quoting a G. F. Sims catalogue]  12mo Text block sewn, enclosed in Curwen wrappers with printed label pasted on front wrappers Some rubbing to spine edge, but not enough to occlude pattern of paper which is bright and unfaded; slight closed tear half-way down spine and loss of paper at head, but these are minor blemishes to a fine copy, internally sound  René Hague, in an unpublished letter, wrote ‘I printed that little book just after... getting back from the war... I wasn’t satisfied with the red and never finished the book. Some years later, I looked at the sheets... and thought some of them weren’t too bad really - so occasionally I used to look out a set of sheets and sell or give them to someone. How many I got rid of like [t]his I can’t remember - ‘20 or 25 copies’ surviving may not be far out - rather more I’d say though. It’s true, its a nice little book; I am very fond of some of the engravings, in particular the one with Westminster.’ This copy one of those remaining copies bound for Sims in Curwen patterned wrappers by Sangorski and Sutcliffe. 

Price: £360