Muses. Drawings by Gene Holtan.
Mill Valley, California: Sunflower Press, [1994]. One of twenty-five deluxe copies specially bound by D’Ambrosio (in a total edition of sixty). Also signed by Cunningham on the colophon and by D’Ambrosio on the lower pastedown. With twenty-one illustrations by Gene Holtan: frontispiece, ten mounted full-page illustrations, and ten large vignettes. Printed by Carol Cunningham in handset Centaur, Arrighi, and Mistral types on Shadowmould paper. A fine copy inscribed by Carol Cunningham to scholar Henry Snyder. Specially bound by Joseph D’Ambrosio in quarter white Masonic sheep over white cloth boards hand-shaped to resemble wings. In the original orange cloth clamshell case, with the original prospectus. 6 in. x 10 in. [ 22 ] pp. Item #16976
In his Memoir of Book Design D’Ambrosio writes: “[Muses is] I believe the first larger book that Carol did…This was not an easy book for Carol to produce. The information about the Greek Muses seemed to be scattered everywhere. So, complete with all the information in one volume, this book belongs in every research library in the country as a reference work. The illustration of each Muse, done by Gene Holtan in the lighthearted and satirical style of Arthur Rackham, adds to the delight of this entire work…. The binding is another matter…Every facet of the design had to convey the lyrical lightness conveyed by the concept of the Muses,” (pp. 157-157) Joseph D’Ambrosio (1934 – 2009) printed, bound, typeset, and illustrated hundreds of artist’s books, broadsides, posters, art prints, and other material over the course of his career. Some of his other publications in striking bindings include editions of Olympe and Henriette by Villiers de l’Isle-Adam (1992) and Al Aaraaf by Poe (1995).
Carol Cunningham (1925 – 2013) was the proprietor of the Sunflower Press and one of California’s most significant woman printers. Cunningham was a frequent collaborator of D’Ambrosio and was instrumental in the establishment of the Fine Print Fair in San Francisco.Henry Snyder (1929 – 2016) was the director of the Center for Bibliographical Studies and Research and co-director of the English Short Title Catalogue team for over thirty-two years.
Price: $600.00