Books

First Pogány edition, signed extra limited issue, number 7 of 25 copies signed by the artist. Pogány's illustrated edition of Coleridge's famous long poem is one of the artist's most lavish undertakings and was clearly inspired by the grand medieval tradition of book illustration. This extra limited issue was "for sale in England and America". A further 525 signed copies were issued on paper, and there was also a standard trade issue. As noted by Richard Dalby, "Willy Pogány was Dulac's most successful European contemporary during the highest peak of the Golden Age of book illustration... The Rime of the Ancient Mariner was his most ornate and impressive production, with hand-scripted text, full-page black and white drawings and color plates tipped-in on grey matte paper. This combination of illustration and calligraphic text by the artist was rarely repeated" (p. 87). Quarto. Original vellum by Morrell, spine and upper cover lettered in gilt and with illustrations in gilt, blue, green, and red, top edge gilt, illustrated endpapers, others untrimmed. With title page, 20 tipped-in color plates, other full-page illustrations, each page of text within decorative borders, all by Pogány. Ownership inscription to second preliminary blank dated 1919. Some light soiling and marks to binding, minor split to head of front joint, minor crease to one plate: a very good copy. Richard Dalby, The Golden Age of Children's Book Illustration, 1991.