Shakespeare, William, (1564-1616)

[Vale Press] King Henry IV The Second Part

London: Ballantyne Press For Hacon and Ricketts, 1903. Designs by Charles Ricketts (1866-1931). A Very Good Hardcoyer.

Sold by Hacon & Ricketts. Limited to 310 copies. Designed by Charles Ricketts (1866-1931) and engraved on wood by Keates.. New Vale monogram. Printed in the Avon type on lighter paper with the mermaid watermark. Seen through the press by T.S. Moore

Green Cloth with stamped geometric design and a gilt stamped title. The bindings are tight and square. Text clean, light even toning. Moderate shelf handling wear; spine darkened, minor rubs on lower corners.

Very Good / No Dust Jacket As Issued. Item #014370

Background Information:
Richett's arranged to have the Vale Press publications printed at the Ballantyne Press as private press books by a carefully chosen selection of compositors, readers, pressmen and binders freed from the everyday demands of the press. [Watry]

Charles Ricketts was a British artist, illustrator, author and printer, known for his work as a book designer and typographer and for his costume and scenery designs for plays and operas. Ricketts first made his mark in book production, first as an illustrator, and then as the founder and driving force of the Vale Press (1896-1904), one of the leading private presses of the day, for which he designed the type and illustrations. A disastrous fire at the printers led to the closure of the press, and Ricketts turned increasingly to painting and sculpture over the following two decades. [Tate]

Ref: Ricketts, xxxiv; L'Art Ancient, 63; Watley, B44/34; Kells, p275ff

Price: $125.00