The Compleat Angler
- SIGNED
- London: John Lane The Bodley Head Ltd, 1926
London: John Lane The Bodley Head Ltd, 1926. Fine. A very fine and unique copy. Specially bound with two superb original watercolor paintings on both of the calf doublures by Helen R. Haywood. Octavo (7 1/8 x 4 1/2 in; 181 x 113 mm). lxxxix, [4], 454, [14 as Anglers' Calendar] pp. Black and white illustrations throughout, some full-page. Initials and vignettes. Inserted limitation leaf "With Water/Colour Drawings/on/Calf Doublures/by/[signed] Helen R. Haywood." Bound by Rivière & Son c. 1926, stamp-signed in gilt on front turn-in. Full forest green crushed morocco, covers with gilt double-rule border, spine with five raised bands decoratively tooled and lettered in gilt in compartments. Double gilt-ruled board edges, decorative gilt ruled turn-ins, enclosing calf doublures with full, angling-themed original watercolor paintings. Green moire silk free endpapers, all edges gilt. Housed in a felt-lined green cloth clamshell case, spine with leather label, lettered in gilt.
Izaak Walton's The Compleate Angeler (1653) is perhaps the quintessential pastoral work on fishing. Structured as a dialogue between a fisherman, huntsman, and fowler, the book is a celebration of the natural world and the thrills of fishing as a pastime. The two exquisite original watercolors on calf elegantly reproduce at the front "Come, now bait your hook again, and lay it into the water, for it rains again" (Compleat Angler, Fourth Day) and at the rear "Marry, God requite you, sir, and we'll eat it cheerfully" (Compleat Angler, Third Day). Helen R[iviere] Haywood (1908-1995), was an English painter, children's book illustrator, and writer, best known for her foredge paintings. She came from a book-binding family: Haywood was the granddaughter Robert Riviere, founder of the great bindery, which executed this lovely binding, and her uncle (who also worked for the firm) introduced her to foredge and double foredge painting. Between the 1930s-1970s she completed multiple commissions for Inman's Books, a New York City based antiquarian book dealer. From her intertest in science, anthropology, and naturalism, Haywood developed a keen attention to the world’s natural elements; this talent for observation and specificity found its way into her artwork.
Provenance: Purchased by David Brass Rare Books from John & Judith Head (May 2012); sold to Randal Moscovitz (December 2012). Fine.
Izaak Walton's The Compleate Angeler (1653) is perhaps the quintessential pastoral work on fishing. Structured as a dialogue between a fisherman, huntsman, and fowler, the book is a celebration of the natural world and the thrills of fishing as a pastime. The two exquisite original watercolors on calf elegantly reproduce at the front "Come, now bait your hook again, and lay it into the water, for it rains again" (Compleat Angler, Fourth Day) and at the rear "Marry, God requite you, sir, and we'll eat it cheerfully" (Compleat Angler, Third Day). Helen R[iviere] Haywood (1908-1995), was an English painter, children's book illustrator, and writer, best known for her foredge paintings. She came from a book-binding family: Haywood was the granddaughter Robert Riviere, founder of the great bindery, which executed this lovely binding, and her uncle (who also worked for the firm) introduced her to foredge and double foredge painting. Between the 1930s-1970s she completed multiple commissions for Inman's Books, a New York City based antiquarian book dealer. From her intertest in science, anthropology, and naturalism, Haywood developed a keen attention to the world’s natural elements; this talent for observation and specificity found its way into her artwork.
Provenance: Purchased by David Brass Rare Books from John & Judith Head (May 2012); sold to Randal Moscovitz (December 2012). Fine.