The Song of Songs, Golden Cockerel Press, 1925. DESCRIPTION: 10 1/2 x 7 3/4 inches (267 x 197 mm), 42 pages + colophon, one of 720 copies (total edition of 750). Original white buckram cloth binding, spine titled in gilt, edges untrimmed. Woodcut vignette on title page, one engraved plate and 17 wood-engravings in text all by Eric Gill. Printed in black and red in Caslon Old Face type with several initial letters in red. CONDITION: Slight sunning (darkening) of spine and front edges of the covers, front and rear covers otherwise quite clean, toning of front and rear free endplates (see final two photos) and rear blank page, neat inscription on ffep, tiny bookseller label at bottom of inside rear cover. Text pages and illustrations clean without toning or foxing. DISCUSSION: This private press edition is almost always found in compromised condition because the white buckram binding cloth is a dirt magnet. This copy has an unusually clean binding compromised only by slight darkening (sunning) of the book spine. The toning of the blank pages is also a commonly found flaw. Overall, this is a very collectible copy of Eric Gill’s first major work for the Golden Cockerel Press. Although not as famous or highly regarded as the three major Golden Cockerel Press books illustrated with Eric Gill wood engravings, this is a significant illustrated work from the Press and, as such, it has always been highly sought after.
