FLINT, William Russell (illus.); KINGSLEY, Charles.

£3,000 · Offered by Peter Harrington · No longer available

The Heroes, or Greek Fairy Tales for My Children. First Flint edition, number 54 of 500 copies printed on handmade paper. This copy is finely bound with an elaborate multicolour morocco onlay panel replicating one of Flint's illustrations, unusually heightened with hand-painted detail. It has the bookplate of the fine binding and private press aficionado Doris Louise Benz (1907-1984), and its excellent condition is characteristic of her collection.The auction of Benz's library in 1984 was something of a surprise to the public, since she had amassed her collection very quietly for decades. The proceeds went to Dartmouth College, but she had stipulated that her books should be sold rather than donated to afford other individuals the enjoyment of purchasing and collecting them. Many of the volumes sold were bound by English binderies, such as this one from the London and Northamptonshire Birdsall Bindery.Kingsley's collection of stories starring Perseus, Theseus, and the crew of the Argonaut was published in 1856. According to Lancelyn Green, "no one has caught the magic and the music and the wonder of the old Greek legends as Kingsley did" (p. 132). This title is one of a number of Riccardi publications for which Flint provided watercolours, and his work for the press established his reputation for his illustrations. A further 12 copies were printed on vellum.Provenance: Stephen C. Massey.

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