Stanley Morison, 1933

MORISON, Stanley (1889-1967). Fra Luca de Pacioli of Borgos Sepolcro. New York: The Grolier Club, 1933.

First edition, one of 390 copies. One of the most famous examples of 20th century fine printing, involving an illustrious collaboration of book artists and designers, the whole designed and produced under the supervision of Bruce Rogers. From the collection of Hans Schmoller, the influential graphic designer who worked as the head of design and typography at Penguin Books from 1949-1976, and his wife, Tanya, a historian of graphic art who began her career as a personal assistant at Penguin. According to John Carter this was the last book to be printed wet at the University Press, Cambridge.

Small folio (315 x 210mm). Printed in red and black throughout, title within decorative woodcut interlace border printed in red, photoengraved frontispiece portrait by Emery Walker, special characters cut and cast by Frederic Goudy. Original vellum-backed decorated boards, top edge gilt, others uncut, by W.H. Smith & Son; board slipcase (lightly worn at edges). Provenance: Tanya Schmoller, 1918-2016 and Hans Schmoller, 1916-1985 (bookplate).