High Street
London: Country Life Ltd., 1938. Hard Cover. Very Good binding. Item #9598
Octavo. 100, [2] pp., illus. First edition. As issued, in printed paper over flexible boards; this copy discreetly rebacked with 80% of the original backstrip laid down. Light rubbing to the binding; foxing to the fore-edge with occasional foxing to the margin of a few leaves.
Joanna Selborne in her study of early 20th century book illustration describes Ravilious as "one of the foremost artists and designers of his generation, leaving a remarkably varied body of work ranging from wood-engravings, watercolours, and lithographs, to murals, furniture, and decorated china. . . . His prints, especially those for book illustration and for commercial projects, mark him as one of the most original and influential practitioners between the wars" p. 276. These 24 full-page, color lithographs by Ravilious comprise a remarkable series depicting shops and stalls that were initially presented to Christopher Sandford at the Golden Cockerel Press to see if he had interest in a possible book. According to Selborne, "Sandford was slow to respond and these were eventually taken up by Noel Carrington and published, together with a wood-engraved frontispiece and J.M. Richards's text" p. 287. Despite the extremely subtle reback, this remains a very nice copy of a desirable book. Selborne, Joanna. British Wood-Engraved Book Illustration, 1904-1940, p. 276-291.
Price: $2,000.00