ONE OF THE FINEST PUBLICATIONS OF THE GOLDEN COCKEREL PRESS: SPLENDIDLY ILLUSTRATED PARADISE LOST, 1937—ONE OF ONLY 200 COPIES

(GOLDEN COCKEREL PRESS) MILTON, John. Paradise Lost. (London): Golden Cockerel Press, 1937. Folio (9-1/2 by 13-1/2 inches), original three-quarter black pigskin, raised bands, renewed black morocco spine label, marbled boards, top edge gilt, uncut.

Superb limited Golden Cockerel Press illustrated edition of Milton's Paradise Lost, one of the finest publications of the Press, this copy number 192 of only 200 copies, with 30 lovely wood-engraved illustrations by Mary Groom—an excellent uncut copy in original Zaehnsdorf binding.

"After Nonesuch, the most important of the private presses which grew up between the wars was the Golden Cockerel Press… The books produced by the Golden Cockerel Press were in general remarkably good examples of how well type and wood-engraving can be blended together… The work of the Golden Cockerel Press during the late 1930s and the 1940s has not received nearly so much praise as its earlier publications… and yet many of the Golden Cockerel books produced during this period were as fine as anything the Press ever published, and many of the texts had a very genuine importance" (Cave, 191-92, 230-31). This high praise certainly holds true for the Press' fine edition of Milton's epic poem, Paradise Lost. This splendid volume was printed on Batchelor handmade paper, with title in red and black designed by Robert Gibbings, and type cut by Eric Gill. "We thought the bindings of the ordinaries [the 196 on paper, as opposed to the four copies on vellum] an exciting and artistically pleasing complement to the descriptions of the 'lake of fire' which bulk so largely in the first half of the poem. As to the illustrations, we find these extremely interesting and refreshingly original… As to the type, this was the first appearance as a medium for the portrayal of poetry of the 18 pt. Golden Cockerel type designed for this Press by Eric Gill. We know all types that have been, and say without hesitation that for dignity and virile beauty, this face has no peer. Lastly we dare any expert printer to find fault with our presswork in this book" (Golden Cockerel Bibliography). Without very scarce cardboard slipcase. Pertelote (Golden Cockerel Bibliography) 119. Presentation inscription dated 1942 presenting this copy to architect and author Walter Monkton Keesey (1887-1970), with related one-page typed letter and one-page typed original poem, both by Keesey, laid in. Occasional very faint marginal pencil markings.

Fine condition. An excellent copy of this superb fine press edition.