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OF GARDENS. AN ESSAY.
([London]: Especially written out and illuminated by Alberto Sangorski, ca. 1915). 249 x 165 mm. (9 3/4 x 6 1/2"). 18, [2] pp. [2] leaves (blank, colophon).
Attractive dark green crushed morocco, gilt, by Riviere & Son (stamp-signed on front turn-in), covers with wide frame and central panel tooled in gothic architectural motifs, raised bands, spine compartments with double gilt rules, gilt lettering, turn-ins framed by gilt fillets and dots, scarlet watered silk pastedowns and endleaves, all edges gilt (old repair to head of spine). With one burnished gold initial "A" with intricate penwork embellishment in red and blue, THE WORD "FOR" WRITTEN IN LARGE BURNISHED GOLD LETTERS SIX TIMES, all with delicate penwork embellishment in blue or green, TWO WITH A FAIRY-WINGED PUTTO perched on the crossbar of the "F," another "FOR" written in blue, THE "F" IN BURNISHED GOLD ON A BACKGROUND OF BRUSHED GOLD WITH A PINK ROSE SPRIG, a tailpiece of white jasmine blossoms entwined with a spray of lilac blooms, FOUR ESPECIALLY FINE, BRIGHT OVAL VIGNETTES (approximately 90 mm. across) SHOWING LOVELY GARDENS, one of these accompanied by A HALF BORDER OF HUCKLEBERRY VINE, another at the front as part of A SUPERB DOUBLE-PAGE OPENING FEATURING A PROFUSION OF PINK ROSES forming a frame around a gilt-edged cartouche bearing the title in blue, surrounded by delicately blue and brown tendrils (on the left) AND A FRAME OF GRAPEVINES BEARING SUCCULENT PURPLE FRUIT ON A BRUSHED GOLD BACKGROUND (on the right) an oval view of a lake and mountains at its foot, this frame enclosing text beginning with the words "GOD ALMIGHTY" in thickly burnished gold, accented with curling blue and brown acanthus leaves and blue penwork. One page with trivial thumb smudge, faint variations in shade of the vellum, but A SUPERB SPECIMEN, the vellum smooth and creamy, the paint and gold bright, and the virtually unworn binding with shining gilt.
Featuring several gorgeous moments, this is a luxurious and appropriately luxuriant illuminated manuscript of Bacon's prescription for the ideal princely garden. The most prominent modern creator of illuminated manuscripts, our artist, Alberto Sangorski (1862-1932), started his professional life as secretary to a goldsmith's firm before being attracted to the book arts at the age of 43. He began doing illuminated manuscripts that were then bound by his brother Francis' firm, Sangorski & Sutcliffe, with the colophon crediting the manuscript to the firm rather than acknowledging Alberto's contribution. Partly because of this failure to recognize his work, Alberto had a falling out with Francis sometime around 1910, at which time he took his talents to Riviere, the chief competitor to his brother's bindery. Robert Riviere began as a bookseller and binder in Bath in 1829, then set up shop as a binder in London in 1840; in 1881, he took his grandson Percival Calkin into partnership, at which time the firm became known as Riviere & Son, and the bindery continued to do business until 1939. Riviere was happy to allow Albert to add a colophon proclaiming (as here) that "This manuscript . . . was designed, written out, and illuminated by Alberto Sangorski." The decoration in the present work has an airy, light-hearted aura, with the bright gold lettering, the delicate, intricate penwork, and the whimsical fairies conveying considerable joy and playfulness. And the beauty of the manuscript is heightened by the extremely fine condition here. (ST20770)
Price: $39,000.00