Books

Hardcover. Number 60 of 250 copies of which 230 were for sale. This magnificent set is number 18 in The Grolier Club's A Century For The Century, documenting Jerry Kelly and Martin Hunter's selection of 100 fine books printed from 1900 to 1999. It is considered the finest example of the work of San Francisco's John Henry Nash. Nash (1871-1947) was a noted printer of fine books. He was a talented designer and an exceptional compositor and technician. His trademark was the mitered rule the vertical and horizontal lines that appear in many of his books which are quite tricky to set. tis skill is evident in the volumes of this set. He was born in Ontario, Canada and left school at sixteen to apprentice as a printer. In 1895, he arrived in San Francisco, where he was to develop his reputation. With Bruce Brough he founded the Twentieth Century Press. In 1903, Nash was approached by Paul Elder, an established publisher who had printed some of his publications with Twentieth Century, and who had just dissolved a publishing partnership. Elder became a partner in Twentieth Century Press, which was renamed Tomoye Press, and Nash became a partner in the newly formed Paul Elder & Company. Nash designed and typeset many of Elder's most enduring publications. Nash and Elder had a falling out in 1911, and Nash formed a new partnership, which he ended in 1915. In 1916, Nash started his own press, and his efforts helped establish San Francisco as a center of fine printing. In titling his 1928 book about Nash, Edward F. O'Day went so far as to dub him "The Aldus of San Francisco." In 1938, the poor economy forced him to shut down his operation and moved to Eugene, Oregon, where he established the John Henry Nash Fine Arts Press at the University of Oregon. In 1943, he returned to Berkeley, California, where he died in 1947. Printed on beautiful paper using Cloister Light type. The translated text is accompanied by notes on each page describing the meaning of the text and historical perspectives. Bound in cream vellum with gilt rulings to the covers and gilt titling to the spine, also decorated with raised bands. Some spotting to vellum covers but still very good plus. Volume One is titled The Florence of Dante Alighieri: The Dante of all the World, by Melville Best Anderson, a noted Dante scholar. Volume Two is the Inferno; Volume Three is Purgatorio and Volume Four is Paradiso. The texts and notes are elegantly printed and in about fine condition save for some offsetting on the first free endpaper from the folded over vellum covers. Books measure 9 x 13.75 inches. Volume One is 120 pages; Volume Two is 165 pages; Volume Three is 166 pages; Volume Four is 165 pages. Accompanied by four brown flannel bags that are probably original. PRI/111124.

An epic poem by Dante Alighieri, set in a spiritual journey through Hell, Purgatory, and Paradise with Virgil and Beatrice as guides.