THE UNION OF TYPE, IMAGE & MYTH

Apuleius, Lucius (c124-c170) ; Ricketts, Charles [Designer/Illustrator] ; Holmes, C.J. [Editor]

De Cupidinis Et Psyches Amoribus Fabula Anilis [Vale Press] [Cupid and Psyche] [Typography] [Arts & Crafts Movement]

London: Ballantyne Press For Hacon and Ricketts, 1901.
TYPOGRAPHY AS ART IN THE ARTS & CRAFTS MOVEMENT
A masterpiece of the British Private Press movement, this edition of the Tale of Cupid and Psyche (from The Golden Ass) represents the aesthetic peak of the Vale Press. Under the direction of Charles Ricketts, this volume reinterprets the classical myth through the lens of the Symbolist movement, focusing on the soul’s allegorical journey toward enlightenment.

KEY FEATURES 
+++ Limitation: One of only 310 copies printed on handmade paper (none on vellum). 
+++ Typography: Printed in the celebrated Vale Type, designed by Ricketts specifically for the press. 
+++ Visuals: Features five intricate wood engravings, a decorative woodcut border, and a striking initial on the opening page, all designed and engraved on wood by Charles Ricketts. 
+++ Paper: Heavy handmade paper featuring the press's characteristic watermark of engraving tools and wreaths. 
+++ Production: Bound at the Ballantyne Press; part of the crucial 'Classical Revival' series produced by Hacon & Ricketts. 
+++ Specs: Imperial Octavo [11.5 x 7.5 inches]; xxx, colophon.

CONDITION Very Good -- Original linen-backed blue paper-covered boards with the original printed paper label on the upper cover. The boards show minor age-toning and a hint of rubbing to the lower rear corner. The paper label is evenly toned. Internally, the endpapers show the typical toning found in this edition, but the text remains remarkably fresh with several preliminaries remaining unopened. A tight, square, and honest copy of a fragile binding.

HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE -- 
Charles Ricketts was a pivotal figure in the Arts and Crafts and Aesthetic Movements, and the Vale Press was his primary vehicle for challenging the industrialization of the book. By choosing De Cupidinis et Psyches, Ricketts aligned the press with the Symbolist fascination with myth and mysticism.
This edition is not merely a book, but an architectural object where the type, the 'Vale' font, and the woodcut illustrations are designed to function as a singular artistic unit.

SUBJECTS: Private Press, Charles Ricketts, Vale Press, Arts and Crafts Movement, Symbolism, Classical Mythology, Cupid and Psyche, Lucius Apuleius, Fine Printing, Typography, Limited Edition, Private Press, Illustrated Books, Classical Literature.

BIBLIOGRAPHIC REFERENCE Watley B33; L’Art Ancien 53; Ricketts xxviii.

Item #20317

Price: $1,350.00