The Collects, Epistles & Gospels from the Book of Common Prayer
Birmingham: City of Birmingham School of Printing, 1953. Folio (11 3/8 inches tall), original multi-color patterned paper boards, rounded vellum-tipped corners, black crushed morocco with gilt spine, marbled endpapers, ribbon marker, bookplate to front endpaper. Housed in a custom felt-lined cloth chemise and slipcase. Fine. Item #1862
"THE FINAL BOOK TO BE PRODUCED UNDER THE DIRECTION OF LEONARD JAY AS HEAD OF CITY OF BIRMINGHAM SCHOOL OF PRINTING, 1925-1953"
Birmingham School of Printing edition of The Collects, Epistles & Gospels from The Book of Common Prayer. Leonard Jay's last project as the pioneering Head of the School—specially bound "from the last sheets of this book" by Eric Sweet (Head of the School of Printing and Graphic Communications of Matthew Boulton College, Birmingham) in 1993 and housed in a custom red felt-lined chemise and slipcase to match the binding. A posthumous tribute to Leonard Jay's decades-long commitment to the students of Birmingham. A unique copy in pristine condition.
Trained by W.R. Lethaby ("the St. Paul of the Arts and Crafts Movement") and J.H. Mason at the London County Council Central School, Leonard Jay was appointed as head of the new Birmingham School of Printing in 1925. Though there was to be "no such thing as a Birmingham style," Jay was able to reconcile the "the modest, simple typographic style of the Hammersmith Crusaders" with the modern needs of commercial printing. "Under Leonard Jay, the Birminham School of Printing was to demonstrate the virtues possessed by mechanical printing methods. The work of the school's press was to earn an international reputation for excellent work in its charming limited editions, which deservedly have been collected by lovers of fine printing" (Roderick Cave). This copy is laid-in with an original Birmingham slip: "With Compliments from the Head of the School of Printing ("An acknowledgment will be appreciated"). Also includes Sweet's attribution slip, which matches the mounted on the front endpaper. Roderick Cave. The Private Press.
Price: $650.00