TWELVE VOLUMES FROM THE RENOWNED BIBLIOMANIAC EDITION OF DE KOCK'S WORKS, FROM A LIMITED EDITION OF ONLY TEN SETS, IN MAGNIFICENT ART NOUVEAU BINDINGS, WITH ORIGINAL SIGNED ARTWORKS BY JOHN SLOAN AND WILLIAM GLACKENS, CO-FOUNDERS OF THE ASHCAN SCHOOL, AND ARTISTS LOUIS MEYNELL AND W.J. SINNOTT
DE KOCK, Charles Paul. Works. Boston, Paris, London: Frederick J. Quinby, (1903-04). Twelve volumes. Small quarto, contemporary full crimson morocco inlaid with Art Nouveau iris motifs on covers and doublures, both front and back.
Twelve exemplary volumes from the renowned limited "Bibliomaniac Edition" of De Kock's Works, each from number four of only 10 sets produced, these being two volumes each of Frère Jacques, The Gogo Family, Edmund and His Cousin, The Damsel of the Threeskirts and De Kock's Memoirs and one volume each of Friquette and Jean, all printed on French-folded vellum, illustrated with original watercolors, pen-and-ink drawings and etchings—often signed by the artists, which include founding Ashcan School artists John Sloan and William Glackens and noted artists and illustrators Louis Meynell and nd W.J. Sinnott. Ornately bound by the Harcourt Bindery with inlaid Art Nouveau iris motifs, superb inlaid leather doublures, with richly illuminated initials, head- and tail-pieces throughout each volume.
Although best known as a painter of the streets of New York, John Sloan began his career as an illustrator. In 1902 he obtained a major commission to create 53 paintings and etchings of "raucous behavior and silly plot twists" (Huntington Library) as illustrations for this luxurious edition of the comic novels of Charles Paul de Kock. In all, Sloan produced 53 original works for the series. "The De Kock commission honed Sloan's abilities as an etcher and earned him praise as an illustrator" (Heather Campbell Coyle). "William J. Glackens' early training began at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, along with Sloan, Everett Shinn, George Luks, and Robert Henri, all of whom in 1908 founded the group called "The Eight," later known as the Ashcan School. Despite success as a painter, Glackens worked for nearly 30 years as a newspaper, magazine and book illustrator. "His illustrations, particularly those involving animated crowds of people, exhibit brilliant and expressive draftsmanship, as do a smaller series of etchings of urban subjects" (Gale Encyclopedia). In addition to Sloan and Glackens, Louis Meynell and W.J. Sinnott also contributed original artwork to these volumes.The illuminated initials and head- and tail-pieces throughout each volume are done in rich and vibrant detail that include scenes and landscapes. The edition itself was designed as a tour de force of book production, projected to be 100 volumes but apparently abandoned after 48 volumes (only one "complete" set of 48 volumes has ever appeared); complete sets were advertised for sale for $50,000, a fortune in 1904 when these books were published.
Fine condition, artworks superb, magnificently bound, with only a few very minor rubs to bindings.