Lot 397: (Vale Press) Ricketts, Charles [de Sousy]

(Vale Press) Ricketts, Charles [de Sousy] (1866-1931). A Defence of the Revival of Printing. Woodcut illustration and border, initial, and press-device, including full pictorial first page, by Ricketts. 7½x5, original light blue boards, paper spine and cover labels. [1 of 250 copies]. First Edition. London: The Ballantyne Press for Hacon & Ricketts [The Vale Press], 1899 Printed with Vale Fount of type designed by Ricketts. An important and controversial book of an on fine printing. In this work, Ricketts contrasts the work of the Kelmscott Press with the early Italian books of the Jenson influence, favoring the Italian school. Lovers of fine printing would do well to study the subtle differences in the Morris and rickets interpretations of the Jenson Roman, differences that might indicate the variations between mere painstaking craftsmanship and artistic good taste. Top inch of spine chipped (affecting label), spine panel loose with front joint split and tear across bottom inch, slight shelf wear and darkening; offsetting to endpapers, else good and worthy of repair.