Featured Titles:

[COX, MORRIS]. Graphic Yardarm. (London), Gogmagog Press, 1984.

Folio. (52) leaves. Unique copy inscribed to Colin Franklin and containing 58 illustrations by Morris Cox, many of which are original and date from his beginnings as an art student in 1922. Only six copies were duplicated from this original, which is the eighth title in the Photocopy series. In 1983, Cox abandoned hand-printing, after which a series known as the Gogmagog Photocopy Library emerged. In the preface, Cox writes, " My yard-stick is my yard-arm./ The evolution of this work was never/consciously planned.../Here we have a number of graphic survivals which have by chance remained in my possession..." He goes on to explain how in art school, he learned that a drawing could be a satisfying thing in itself, but it was "not until comparatively recent years that I have given attention to this and used drawings other than as a preliminary to prints and paintings." The contents within fall under seven categories: academic models following the tradition of the Italian Renaissance; subjective/objective drawings inspired by Japanese prints and Egyptian hieroglyphs; brush drawings evoking primitive cave painting, Japanese sumi-e, and Cézanne; linear drawings of purely subjective and imaginative matter; drawings as gestures of continuous line, learned from Victorian and Edwardian graphic games; continuous line drawings without regard for light and shade; and subjective drawings with an emphasis on total spontaneity. Graphic Yardarm spans the history of Morris Cox's artistic and creative development, capturing his various inspirations. This is considered a major work, visually his masterpiece among the Photocopy books. Bound in a heavy gauge speckled wool cloth, leather label with gilt titling on spine. Fine. Laid in are the Commemoration catalog from the Victoria & Albert museum, Cox's obituary, and correspondence from Franklin announcing Cox's death in which he says Cox "was the Blake in my life". (see Chambers 165). (19473) $8,500.

(Fables). AESOP. Les Fables D'Esope, mises en francois, avec le sens moral en quatre vers, & des figures a chaque fable. Rouen, Richard Lallemant, 1771.

Octavo. c, 314 pp. New Edition, Revised and Expanded to Include a Life of Aesop by Planudes. With a large woodcut portrait of the author and numerous woodcut illustrations throughout. Intended for and dedicated to young people. Mended tears on a few pages, light wear to edges, and ownership inscription on front endpaper, else fine in speckled calf, richly gilt on spine. (16529) $2,500.

[POCHOIR]. Marrast, J. Jardins MCMXXV. Paris, Editions d'Art Charles Moreau, (1926).

Small folio portfolio. (viii) pp., 54 ff. Contains forty-two sepia heliotype plates and twelve plates colored by pochoir by Jean Saudé. The plates show plans and photographs of gardens in the contemporary style, with Art Deco embellishments such as fountains and statuary. This is the most sumptuous of fifteen portfolios issued in conjunction with the historic Exposition des Arts Decoratifs, held in Paris in 1925. The twelve lovely pochoir plates are based on the work of such artists as Tony George Roux and Albert Laprade. Half-title is lightly smudged, else fine. Unbound, as issued, in rebacked black boards, with broken tie. (9302) $1,500.

[PRASSINOS, MARIO]. Bandello, Matteo. L'Histoire Tragique de Romeo Montecchio & Giulietta Capelletta. Paris, Pierre Vorms, 1947.

Small quarto, unbound as issued. 136 pp. From a total edition of 242 copies, this is one of 25 copies with an extra suite of the engravings and an extra suite of the chapter headings. Illustrated with twelve surrealist, copper line engravings by Mario Prassinos, as well as numerous chapter headings designed by Prassinos and engraved on wood. The Prassinos family emigrated from Greece to France, and Mario became involved in the surrealist movement as a painter while his sister exercised her talents as a surrealist poet. Pierre Vorms, who published the present volume, also hosted the artist's first ever solo exhibition at his gallery in France. Translated into French by Michel Arnaud. A couple of small splits to printed wrappers, else a very fine copy in chemise and matching slipcase, which is lightly rubbed and splitting at extremities. (Strachan p. 106). (6430) $1,000.

SNYDER, LORAIN R. (DOC). World War Two Logbooks. N.p., 1941-1943.

Four octavo volumes. Standard issue blank books printed by the Government Printing Office that were owned by Lorain R. Snyder, who served as a Gunner's Mate aboard the U.S.S. Richmond from 1941 to 1943. The first two volumes contain Snyder's notes and assignments on such matters as wrecking mines, depth charges, ammunition, as well as basic duties. These notes are enhanced by Snyder's draftsman-like color illustrations which detail the structure and functioning of the various weaponry with which he would have been familiar. These include depth charges, mines, the .45 caliber automatic pistol, roller bearing gun mounts. In addition, Snyder -- whose nickname was "Doc" -- provides illustrated charts of semaphore, alphabet, naval and weather flags, map cross-hatching legends, military insignia for various countries.

In the second two volumes, Snyder switches from theory to practice as he begins a tour aboard the Richmond, and the blank books become a daily logbook. Included are his rather restrained comments on Pearl Harbor ("Sunday evening -- War!!!/Oh my! Well here's what we've been waiting for ... Arizona and Oklahoma got it bad!"), a lengthy first hand account of the Battle of Komandorskis off the coast of Sibera, as well as a long semi-bawdy ballad about an old maid on Waikiki entitled "A Torrid Tragedy of the Tropics". In these volumes, Snyder's illustrations are less abundant, but include a detailed inventory of his thirteen tattoos, including location, and a map of the Pacific showing the area covered by the Richmond during Snyder's tour of duty. Additionally, all volumes bear front and back cover illustrations by Snyder.

The Richmond was flagship of the U.S. Fleet's Submarine Force during 1938-40 and carried the Commander of the Scouting Force in the first half of 1941, while based in Hawaii. Later in that year and during the first year of World War II, she patrolled along the Latin American west coast and escorted convoys in the southeastern Pacific.

Richmond went to the North Pacific in January 1943 and was soon heavily engaged in the then-active Aleutians campaign. She bombarded Japanese-held Attu in February, participated in the Battle of the Komandorski Islands on 26 March and took part in the recovery of Attu and Kiska in May and August 1943. Serving in the Aleutians area for the next two years, Richmond's activities included active patrolling and, beginning in February 1944, bombardments of the Kuril Islands.

An extraordinary archive that combines a highly personal account of daily life on a combat ship with a detailed glimpse into the machinery of war. (21505) $13,500.