Illustrated Works

Sete – Images of Provence – Seven Poems by Count Potocki of Montalk; Five Drawings by Marjorie Jackson- Pownall – Limited Numbered Eccentric Private Press

A scarce work by the rather odd Count Potocki of Montalk. Number sixty five of 120 copies set by hand by Count Potocki of Montalk, [which] have been printed by hand and foot by him.

Produced in the aforementioned style at The Melissa Press, Villa Vigoni, Chemin de St Martin, Draguignan, Var France – the authors home – 1972.

Printed on Fabriano watermarked paper – we are told in the introduction that “we went to Italy expressly to buy the art paper on which to print Marjorie Jackson-Pownall’s charming drawings, with their unambiguous clarity” ….

Large octavo, 18 pages, bound quarter green cloth over papered [wallpaper?] boards – a fine copy.

Copyright and limitation page, title, charming rather haphazard introduction, the poems and drawings – hints of risqué … see below authors background – artwork neat.

The Count was born in New Zealand in 1903. He is generally described as a poet, polemicist and pretender to the Polish throne – he did genuinely have connections. In 1926 he deserted his wife and child for Europe and the arts. First, to England where he developed his extreme right-wing views knew Mosley but, appears to have been more interested in Mosley’s wife. Moved to Draguignan in southern France after WWII mixed with fellow arty folks in the region and printed several unusual private press items. Backtrack – in England in the 1930’s he was sent to prison for attempting to publish what was then regarded as obscene literature – “the Lament of Sir John Penis” along with translations of Rabelais and Verlaine. He was supported in court by Leonard and Virgina Woolf. Aldous Huxley later arranged bail for another skirmish with the law and funded the purchase of Potocki’s first printing press.

Potocki was a truly odd one – often went about dressed in what he thought was medieval garb – tights, satin pyjamas all wrapped up in velvet curtains etc.

The eccentric Count Potocki of Montalk – a unique item

$120.00

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Australian Private Press: The Dying Stockman – A Ballad … with Notes by Hugh Anderson and Lino Cuts by Ronald Edwards – No 1 of The Black Bull Chapbooks from The Ram’s Skull Press – Signed Limited No 50 of 75.

This is quite a story. Ron Edwards would eventually be given an OAM for his lifetime of work preserving Australian bush heritage. The Rams Skull Press still exists and is run by Ron’s son out of the Brisbane Valley. Ron himself moved from Ferntree, Victoria to equally beautiful Kuranda behind Cairns before he packed his bags.

This first of firsts printed in hand set Baskerville on Tudor Antique paper by R.G. Edwards at the sign of the Rams Skull Press … Lording Street, Lower Ferntree Fully, Victoria … limitation .. February, 1954.

Comprising music score, illustrated with woodcuts, hand sewn with leather ties, preserved inside original goatskin covers. A few insect nibbles to goatskin, otherwise all in excellent condition.

The verses are The Dying Stockman; Rosin the Beau; The Tarpaulin Jack and The Dying Digger … a bit of dying but they seemed to have had a good life and needed few possessions.

Scarce wondrous Australian bush verses printed on a flat bed everything by hand – dressed in goat skin.

$190.00

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Norfolk Island [Historical Verse] – Merval Connelly – First edition 1951

A first edition published by the quality Pegasus Press, Christchurch in 1951.

This continues a theme at Voyager … historical poetry of quality.

Octavo, 45 pages, illustrated with beautiful woodcut engravings by Gordan McAuslan. Good complete dust jacket. Very good condition.

Set out in two distinct parts …

Part I .. Captain Cook discovers the island; These sailed not for pleasure nor knowledge; First convict settlement; The years between; Second convict settlement; The second penal settlement closes; The coming of the Pitcairners.

Part II … Norfolk pines; In the valleys; Seascape; Cypresses and Banyan trees; Island nocturne; One wonders about the women; The legend of Bloody Bridge; Poem written at Kingston.

When we finished reading this book of poetry we were left with a better understanding of this unique place and its history and beauty.

Norfolk Island in verse – a delightful history.

$40.00

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To Greenland’s Icy Mountains – Eve Garnett – First Edition 1968

A semi fictionalised account of Hans Egede, Explorer and Missionary who in the early 18thC went in search of the descendants of 10thC Christians who went to the West Coast of Greenland.

Egede was in Greenland between 1797-1718. The author makes Egede’s story come alive as if it was yesterday.

Published by Heinemann, London in 1968, a first edition. Octavo, 190 pages, well illustrated with frontispiece portrait, sketches by the author and images from appropriate photographs, maps and charts. Good condition albeit front free end paper excised.

Inspirational Greenland Story

$25.00

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Tales From the Decameron of Giovanni Boccaccio [Beautifully Illustrated] – Private Printing 1937

Private Printed in, London 1937. A rare edition. Text based on an anonymous translation of 1741 revised by S.W. Orson in 1898. The striking illustrations are printed from linocuts by Edmondo Lucchesi, and we are told the typeface is 16-point Poliphilus.

Demo-folio, quarter red cloth backed decorated red/pink paper covered boards with paper title to front. 89 pages numerous woodcuts. Some ageing near the ends, still a better than good copy of a favourite illustrated book.

Boccaccio’s tales amusing, moral suggestions, and the odd amoral act. The long introductory title to each gives a flavour e.g.

“Masse da Lamorecchio, pretending to be dumb, is appointed gardener at a nunnery, and is favourably received by the inmates”, and

“Pernella puts her gallant into a tub on her husband’s coming home, which tub the husband had sold; she consequently tells him that she had also sold it to a person who was then in it to see if it were sound; upon this the man jumps out and makes the husband and makes the husband clean it for him”.

Boccaccio with the titillating woodcuts of Edmondo Lucchesi

$120.00

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Scents of Flying – Maki Horanai and Hillel Weintraub

Self published hand made by Mountain Dreams Press in 2010. A special beautiful book displaying the highly original artwork of Maki Horanai.

Unpaginated but 28 pages of thick handmade paper so lovely you could eat it. Fourteen images by Horanai, alternating full page and double page. Signed boldly on the front pastedown by the artist and the wordsmith Hillel Weintrub. The image of the title, an element of “Homage” is repeated pasted to the front boards. Boards covered in rich handmade paper.

As you can tell … we love it.

Wish and you could be a “Sky Carpet Traveller”

$70.00

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Sete – Images of Provence – Seven Poems by Count Potocki of Montalk; Five Drawings by Marjorie Jackson- Pownall – Limited Numbered Eccentric Private Press

Australian Private Press: The Dying Stockman – A Ballad … with Notes by Hugh Anderson and Lino Cuts by Ronald Edwards – No 1 of The Black Bull Chapbooks from The Ram’s Skull Press – Signed Limited No 50 of 75.

Norfolk Island [Historical Verse] – Merval Connelly – First edition 1951

To Greenland’s Icy Mountains – Eve Garnett – First Edition 1968

Tales From the Decameron of Giovanni Boccaccio [Beautifully Illustrated] – Private Printing 1937

Scents of Flying – Maki Horanai and Hillel Weintraub

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