A Book of Pictured Carols; Designed by Members of the Birmingham Art School
London: George Allen, 1896. Second edition. Small quarto (9 inches tall), original gray paper boards decorated in red, oatmeal cloth spine lettered in black, uncut. Small blindstamp to blank flyleaf, boards with minor spotting and soiling and bumping, light tanning to endpapers but interior text and illustrations fine. Very good indeed. Item #1771
"AND ALL THE BELLS ON EARTH SHALL RING / ON CHRISTMAS DAY IN THE MORNING"
Second edition of these classic Christmas Carols—illustrated by students of the Birmingham Art School in "remembrance of the greatest of earthly events, 'God made manifest in the flesh.'" Printed by The Chiswick Press with a title page printed in red-and-black, a second illustrated title page, 10 illustrated carols, and a concluding tailpiece. This copy with the small blindstamp of "W.H. Smith & Son / Library / 186 Strand" and a permission slip tipped in at "Good King Wenceslas."
A center of the English Arts & Crafts Movement, the Birmingham Art School was firmly associated with the Pre-Raphaelite-style. A Book of Pictured Carols was first published in 1893, under the direction of Arthur J. Gaskin, with contributions by the following student artists: Charles M. Gere, Georgie E. Cave (later Georgie Gaskin), Mildred Peacock, Arthur J. Gaskin, Henry Payne, Bernard Sleigh, Mary J. Newill, Violet M. Holden, Florence Rudland, Sidney Meteyard, Agnes P. Manley, and Fred Mason. A short original Introduction, presumably by Arthur Gaskin, describes the medieval origins of carols and their widespread appeal: "Carol singing seems to have always been very popular in England, particularly in the West, where carols were sung in place of Psalms on Christmas Day, and where formerly it was customary for the Parish Clerk, at the end of the service, to wish the congregation in a loud voice, 'A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.'"
Price: $200.00