The Poems of Sir John Suckling edited by John Gray, 1896
one of 310 copies printed on handmade paper
Ransom #3
Contemporary binding of buckram boards and leather spine and corners.
This book marks the first use of the honeysuckle border which Ricketts used for
several other Vale Press books over the years including Nimphidia and the
Muses Elizium. The border was also "pirated" by Thomas Bird
Mosher for use in an edition of The Germ and for the cover of his
1906
catalog (link courtesy of the
Mosher Press Website). The Vale Press The Poems of Sir
John Suckling is also the book that inspired Goudy to start the Village
Press (see The Marion Press, A Survey and a Check-List by Thomas A
Larremore and Amy Hopkins Larremore).
The initial letter from above.
Close-up of the honeysuckle border with Charles Ricketts' initials.
A typical text page.
Close-up of the text. This book was printed in the Vale type - the best known
(and arguably the best looking) of the three fonts used by Ricketts at the Vale
Press.
The Vale Press watermark - the lower portion is a "V" while the
vertical line curves upon itself to form the "P" and ends in a leaf.