Hacon & Ricketts, [Eragny Press], London, 1901
The second book of ballads and rondeaus by François Villon published by the Eragny Press, and the companion volume to the ‘Les Ballades de Maîstre François Villon’. One of 200 copies on paper (Genz), colophon: 222 copies.
Description: Quarter grey paper, gold stamped on upper left cover, white paper boards with repeat pattern of small five-petalled flowers printed in pink, gilt spine titling and ornamental trefoils. Octavo: 20 × 13 cm; pp. 55 [5]. Printed from ‘Vale’ type in black and red on Arnold’s unbleached hand-made paper with Vale watermark. Frontispiece with wood-engraved illustration ‘Les regrets de la belle hëaulmière’ by Lucien Pissarro, in black and white and green borders, opening page with green borders and one red initial; twenty-eight black and white initials.
Ref.: Genz EP10
Condition: Binding shows minimal wear to extremities. Usual light tanning to endpapers. The last 5 pages somewhat stained. Otherwise in very good condition.
Notes: A typical feature of the Eragny Press was the reuse of decorative elements. For example, the title page of the ‘Autres poésies’ uses the same border decoration as the ‘Ballades’, but printed in different colours: in two colours, red and black for the ‘Ballades’ and green throughout for the ‘Autres poésies’.