GREGYNOG PRESS
DAVIES, W.[ILLIAM H.[ENRY]. The lovers' song book. Newtown: Gregynog Press, 1931. One of 9 copies only, according to the hand-written colophon. Half purple morocco, covers marbled paper over boards. 9 inches (23 cm), top edge gilt. 30 pp., manuscript colophon signed by William McCance. Printed on Japanese vellum, with exquisite vignette wood engravings throughout, printed in brown, by Blair Hughes-Stanton About fine, in a matching slipcase and chemise.
The issue that the Gregynog Press finally published in 1933 is unillustrated. Davies had supplied the poems to the Press in 1930, and Hughes-Stanton and McCance produced this trial version to present to the Gregynog Board. They were decidedly unenthusiastic, and there were criticisms both of the illustrations (which were felt to be too erotic) and of the typography.
McCance salvaged the few copies of the book printed, and gave them to friends. This copy bears a manuscript colophon, indicating the size of the edition, the particulars of its manufacture, etc. This feature is lacking from the few other extant copies. The book is, in any case, absolutely charming, and is one of the great Gregynog rarities. Penelope Hughes-Stanton 9.
Provenance: the Schimmel copy (though with no indication of this), sold Christie's New York, 1991.