Books

First edition thus, one of 120 copies only, this being the copy of the illustrator and co-runner of the press Helen Marguerite O'Kane with her self-designed bookplate on the front pastedown. This finely produced edition features striking designs by O'Kane that demonstrate the Elston Press's "unique style of its own, with O'Kane's illustrations and decorations now infused with a new artistic maturity, displaying a confident knowledge of renaissance bookmarking" (Johnson). Milton's dramatic poem was first published in 1671. Small quarto. Completely unopened in the original plain cloth-backed grey boards. Text printed in red and black in Caslon Old Roman type. Woodcut frame to first page of text and initials from designs by H. M. O'Kane. Cloth browned, covers lightly soiled, touch of wear to extremities, contents clean and bright, a very good and attractive copy. Herbert H. Johnson, Notes on the History of the Elston Press (1997).

Samson Agonistes is a tragedy by Milton, published in 1671, modeled after Greek tragedy and based on the biblical story of Samson.