Ovid] Ovyde | translated by William Caxton; edited by Stephen Gaselee and H. F. B. Brett-Smith

[Shakespeare Head Press, Metamorphoses] OVYDE: HYS BOOKS OF METHAMORPHOSE, BOOKS X-XV

Stratford-upon-Avon: Printed by Shakespeare Head Press for Basil Blackwell, 1924. Hard Cover. Very Good binding / Fair dust jacket. Item #5455

Quarto. xl, 189, [3] pp. Limited Edition, number 23 of 375 copies on Batchelor's handmade paper (another 3 were printed on vellum). Rubricated title page, printed in black throughout with head-pieces at the beginning of each of the books. As issued, in holland-backed boards with paper title labels on the front cover and spine; in printed dust jacket. A bit of staining to the head and tail of the spine; rubbing to the corners, otherwise, covers and title label on the front board are bright; boards gently bowed. Dust jacket is generally soiled; large closed tear in the center of the front panel; small loss to the center of the back panel. The dust jacket is quite uncommon, in any condition and this one is greatly helped in a mylar cover. While this was one of a number of classics translated into English by William Caxton in the 15th century, it is uncertain whether Caxton ever printed his translation of Ovid as no printed copy or fragment has come down to us. What has survived is a fragment of the manuscript, books X-XV. At the time Newdigate undertook this printing at the Shakespeare Head Press, only one other printed edition of this fragment existed--an extremely limited edition by George Hibbert, who printed forty four copies for the Roxburghe Club in 1819. The Announcement for this edition notes that, "In format and in typographical and textual treatment it will range with the Shakespeare Head Press edition of William Burton's translation of The Loves of Clitophon and Leucippe, by Achilles Tatius." Rogerson 67; Ransom 32.

Price: $275.00