A lovely new selection of Pre-Raphaelite and Fin de Siecle catalogues and books have arrived but my favourite to date has to be the French catalogue, ‘Le Symbolisme et La Femme’. The vibrant colours and enigmatic subjects make for a compelling hour or two lost in its pleasures…
The rare and wonderful first copy
We have had the pleasure of acquiring this collection of wonderful vintage erotica, namely ‘Fascination ~ le Musee Secret de l’Erotisme’. These magazines were dedicated to the erotic arts of the 19th and early 20th century in art, literature, theatre and anywhere where gems of erotic curiosity could be found. They are now very collectable. Still to be found for sale, they are becoming rare and more expensive as they gain recognition for their unique documentation of erotic history. But be warned, they are occasionally explicit…and, of course, in French! Amongst the many we have listed, we have the very first edition of this magazine which includes the work of Pierre Louys, friend of Oscar Wilde and Andre Gide, whose writings typify the approach of this magazine - to find the lost and delicious erotic gems of the 19th and 20th centuries. Only available for sale to those over 18 years of age.
This week we have added to the shop the rare, ‘A Journal of the Life and Travels of John Woolman’. It is beautifully printed in the style of the Kelmscott Press, the production of this limited edition book was overseen by Charles Robert Ashbee at his Essex House Press. Essex House was opened after the closure of the Kelmscott Press and employed several of its craftsmen. The stamp of the Guild of Handicraft is clearly visible in the production of this book, as is the Kelmscott style. The lettering and decoration are beautiful - still crisp and clear. The text follows the fascinating journey that John Woolman made as a Quaker in the ‘ministry’ and working to end slavery. This copy is number 5 of 250. 
One of many pretty prints soon to be listed
I have so often wondered what happens to the books I sell and whether any of the illustrations end up being sold as prints. This week I had a wonderful book, ‘Modern Pen Drawings: European and American’ a special 1900-1901 edition of The Studio. Sadly it had lost its spine, a large part of its cover and the pages were loose. It was beyond sale in this condition so I made the decision to sell the prints. As with all illustrations from The Studio, these images are reproduced beautifully, with exquisite detail and clarity. What makes some of them even more lovely is the paper stock - a translucent onion-skin. Such is the case with this Jessie M King print of 1901. The original was exhibited at the Venice Bienalle as pen on vellum and, if the claim of The Studio is to be believed, first published as a print in this book. Lots more of these 1901 reproductive prints will be listed here, each one a gem: Byam Shaw, Harold Nelson, Linley Sambourne, Selwyn Image and a fine selection from American and European artists including Maxfield Parrish, Henry Hutt, Ernest Seton-Thompson and many more. The book claims that many of them were, ‘…made expressly for this publication or are now appearing for the first time.’ So, a chance to buy a lovely collector’s item at a sensible price from www.theartlibrary.co.uk .
If you aren’t already familiar with The Studio Magazine, then 
have a look at the website over the next week or so. It has devotees who know that, of its time, it was one of the most important records of contemporary art. It documented the exhibtions, the work of art students, the comings and goings in artists’ studios, overseas exhibitions and latest art publications. Each issue featured an artist working at the time, with many illustrations, some mounted and reproduced to a standard that even today would be considered lavish for a magazine. With the work of some of the major Victorian and Edwardian artists, these magazines are occasionally pillaged for prints…
We are lucky enough to have the *entire* run of these bound volumes. A few have already sold but the remainder are available. If you are interested in a particular volume do feel free to contact me at emma@theartlibrary.co.uk or visit www.theartlibrary.co.uk where they will be listed over the coming months.
I couldn’t help but enjoy this. A (young) child of the 70’s I can remember Mr Freedom shoes, open air concerts, Biba, men in hipster jeans smoking Gauloises…This collection of photographs, music, line drawings, poetry and cartoons may be responsible for flashbacks…Not the usual Pre-Raphaelite fare of this site but still a very evocative look back.
The Latest Arrivals ~ John Bratby
The John Bratby (1928 - 1992) publications are now being listed. Alongside the Kitchen Sink catalogues already available at www.theartlibrary.co.uk, these were produced by the Julian Hartnoll Gallery. These catalogues are annotated from the private archive of John Bratby (ephemera, diary entries, photographs) making them unique in their value both as contemporary reference and as a record of John Bratby’s work.
8/11/09
Check here for regular updates on the forthcoming titles that will be listed and additional details about their history and provenance.
This week I will be listing a large number of the Barbizon House Record (1933 onward). Covered with beautiful paper wrappers, printed on heavy cartridge paper stock and with individually mounted reproductions of the always illustrious paintings that passed through the Barbizon Gallery, these are both rarities and a visual pleasure. Each edition contains a review of the art market for the year as well as a longer essay on a particular artist, but I particularly enjoy the catalogue notes, a sample of which is as follows
Barbizon House 1935, No. 20. ‘Aurea Catena’ by Dante Gabriel Rossetti:
“The year 1868, in which the artist had a grave illness, was that of the first decay of Rossetti’s fiery genius, while in the achievments of the preceding year, “A Christmas Carol”, “The Loving Cup”, and “Joli Coeur” full ripeness is apparent; thence onward the early manner had disappeared.
“Aurea Catena” which belongs to this year of change, may not unfittingly be regarded as the flower of the Rossettian later draughtmanship. The painful mannerisms, elongated necks, over-full lips, waving hair - the image of Mrs Morris, brooded on and reduced to a mechanical formula - are as yet controlled. We are given a grandly modelled type as viewed by a profound, melancholy,and passionate poet.” Cecil French.
I hope to have at least 10 of these sumptous exhibtion and sale review catalogues listed but do contact me if you would like more details of the whole Barbizon House collection that will eventually be listed here.
