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Boxwood Books

Private Press & Illustrated Books

Boxwood Books specialise in rare private press and illustrated books which feature the art of wood engraving. Our focus is on the 20s and 30s of the last century when British wood engraving enjoyed a “golden age”. The wood engravers and private presses of this period are well represented: Eric Gill, Robert Gibbings, John and Paul Nash, Gertrude Hermes, Golden Cockerel, Gregynog and Cressett Presses amongst them. As wood engraving continues to enhance the books of fine contemporary private presses, such as Whittington, Fleece, Gwasg Gregynog, you will find many entries for them as well.

Additionally, there is a selection of titles on Bibliography, Typography and the art of wood engraving.

Use the search engine to find the work of a specific artist or private press or browse through our entire online catalogue which is arranged alphabetically.

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ALDIN, CECIL Sleeping Partners: A Series of Episodes. London Eyre & Spottiswoode, 1930. Conceived and Illustrated by Cecil Aldin. First hardback edition of this deservedly famous book. 12 X 9.5 ins. 42 pp. Blue cloth covered boards with title in blue on upper cover. A series of 20 illustrations on recto pages showing the humorous sharing of a rather small sofa in Aldin's studio by his English bull terrier, Cracker, and his Irish wolfhound, Mickey. Each uncomfortable position taken up by the dogs is given a telling title. Previous owner's name on front free endpaper. A near fine copy in near fine, unclipped dust-jacket which is illustrated with the two dogs finally settled somewhat comfortably together.
£285.00

AMERICAN PRINTED BOOKS The Printed Book in America. London: Scolar Press in association with Dartmouth College Library, 1977. By Joseph Blumenthal. First English edition. 10.75 X 7.25 ins. 250 pp. Brown cloth with spine titling. An excellent survey of American printing history from 1640 to the present time. Special emphasis on the development of American typography and the private press movement. 70 full page illustrations exhibiting the outstanding work of D.B. Updike, Will Bradley, Brice Rogers, Frederick W. Gouidy, Dard Hunter, John Henry Nash, Rudolph Ruzicka and W. A. Dwiggins to name but a few. A fine copy in protected dust-jacket.
£22.00

ANNESLEY, MABEL County Down Songs. London: Duckworth & Co., 1924. Poems by Richard Rowley with Woodcuts by Lady Mabel Annesley. First edition. 8.25 X 6.25 ins. 36 pp. Blue cloth with titles in black on spine and upoper cover. Frontispiece and 19 woodcuts throughout. A very good copy of this scarce title with slight foxing.
£65.00

ANNESLEY, MABEL M. Apollo In Mourne. Belfast: Blackstaff Press, 1978. Poems, Plays and Stories by Richard Rowley pseudonym of Richard Valentine Williams). Edited by Victor Price. Softcover with wood engravings by Mabel Annesley. 8.5 X 5.75 ins. 138 pp. Half-tone of Richard Rowley and 3 wood engravings by Mabel Annesley. Delightful dialect poems, plays and stories. A fine copy.
£36.00

ANNESLEY, MABEL M. (PRESENTATION COPY) As The Sight Is Bent. London: Museum Press, 1964. An unfinished Autobiography by Mabel M. Annesley illustrated with woodcuts by her. Edited by her half-sister, The Lady Constance Malleson, author and actress, the wife of actor Miles Malleson and lover of Bertrand Russell. Constance Malleson's stage name was Colette O'Neil. First edition. 9 X 6 ins. 157 pp. Full green cloth with gilt spine titling. 35 woodcuts by Mabel Annesley printed directly from the original blocks. Tipped-in on the front paste-down a presentation from the editor, "Naomi, with love, from Colette spring 1964. Loosely inserted a photograph of Mabel M. Annesley which has a note from the sditor on the back. A very good copy in very good dust-jacket.
£125.00

ARDIZZONE, EDWARD Wine List Decorations 1961-1963. Bristol: John Harvey & Sons, 1963. Designed and produced by John Lewis and printed on pink, cream and suede papers at the Millbrook Press. First edition. 9.5 X 6.5 ins. 100 pp. Full bound in orange buckram with spine title and artist's device on upper cover in gilt. 30 pen and ink drawings by Edward Ardizzone, 23 wood engravings by David Gentleman, 19 decorations by Asgeir Scott and 7 full page maps of French wine districts by Sheila Waters. Compiled from Harverys Wine Lists of the period. One suspects the Ardizzone drawing on page 58, "A spledid nose", is an Ardizzone self-portrait. Previous owner's bookplate on front paste-down. An especially fine copy of this charming book in its original, rarely seen, dust-jacket which has a small closed tear.
£70.00

ARDIZZONE, EDWARD The Local. Wimborne Minster: Little Toller Books (an imprint of the Dovecote Press), 1010. Text by Maurice Gorham. Illustrations by Edward Ardizzone. Introduction by Malcolm Yorke. A new edition of the 1939 classic from Cassell & Co. reproducing the colour lithographs printed at the Curwen Press. 9.25 X 6 ins. 92 pp. Paper covered boards with title and lithograph of "Christmas Eve at the Warrington" on upper cover. Ardizzone, and his childhood Irish friend, Maurice Gorham, Art Editor of "The Radio Times", used to visit the pubs near the artist's studio in Maida Vale most days. Indeed, the pub was Ardizzone's favourite milieu for people watching. "The Local" is the result of these happy lunchtime visits. Maurice Gorham points out that there were over 4000 pubs in London at the time. "But everyone of these pubs have one thing in common. Everyone is someone's local." A new edition of this book, called "Back To The Local" was published in 1949 with only black and white illustrations. This recast of the much loved original is long overdue. "The Local", with its vibrantly coloured lithographs, remains the coveted volume of the collectors. The original plates and Cassell's unsold copies were destroyed in The Blitz. As new.
£15.00

ARDIZZONE, EDWARD Sketches For Friends. Boston: David R. Godine, 2002. Chosen and Introduced by Judy Taylor. First American edition. 6 X 8.5 ins. 127 pp. + Colophon. Pictorial boards with title on spine and upper cover. Ardizzone could never resist the temptation of filling his letters to family and friends with charming vignettes and sketches. Here, a selection of these letters, envelopes and their illustrations are drawn together by Judy Taylor, longtime children's book editor at the Bodley Head and one of Ardizzone's closest friends and correspondents. Illustrations throughout in colour and black and white. As new.
£35.00

ARDIZZONE, EDWARD The Local. Wimborne Minster: Little Toller Books (an imprint of the Dovecote Press), 2010. Illustrations by Edward Ardizzone. Text by Maurice Gorham. Introduction by Malcolm Yorke. A new edition of the 1939 classic from Cassell & Co. reproducing the colour lithopgraphs printed at the Curwen Press. 9.25 X 6 ins. 92 pp. Paper covered boards with title and lithograph of "Christmas Eve at the Warrington" on upper cover. Ardizzone, and his childhood Irish friend, Maurice Gorham, Art Editor of "The Radio Times", used to visit the pubs near the artist's studio in Maida Vale most days. Indeed, the pub was Ardizzone's favourite milieu for people watching. "The Local" is the result of these happy lunchtime visits. Maurice Gorham points out that there were over 4000 pubs in London at the time. "But everyone of these pubs have one thing in common. Everyone is someone's local." A new edition of this book, called "Back To The Local" was publsihed in 1949 with only black and white illustrations. This recast of the much loved original is long overdue. "The Local", with its vibrant coloured lithographs, remains the coveted volume of the collectors. The original plates and Cassell's unsold copies were destroyed in The Blitz. As new.
£15.00

ARDIZZONE, EDWARD: Arcadian Ballads illustrated by Edward Ardizzone. Andoversford: the Whittington Press, 1977. By James Reeves. Number 177 of 200 copies set in 14 pt. Caslon type and printed in purple and black on Arches paper. Signed by the artist and author. 11 X 7.5 ins. 48 pp. Original cloth binding. T.E.G., others uncut. Paper title label on upper cover. 17 drawings by Edward Ardizzone. A fine copy in very slightly faded slip case.
£165.00

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