SONG OF ROLAND -

ANGELO, VALENTI. (ANGELO,VALENTI)illus. THE SONG OF ROLAND done into English in the original measure by Charles Scott Moncrief with an introduction by Hamish Miles. NY: Limited Editions Club 1938. 8vo (7 x 10 1/2"), vellum backed boards, spine lightly soiled with some of the gilt rubbed else near Fine in slipcase which is toned on edges and backstrip. LIMITED TO 1500 NUMBERED COPIES SIGNED BY ANGELO and illustrated by him with half page illustrations and pictorial initials all hand-colored and illuminated by Angelo. The poem tells the story about Roland and the peers of Charlemagne who were defeated by the Saracens in 778. LAID IN ARE 2 FASCINATING HANDWRITTEN LETTERS ON ANGELO'S PERSONAL STATIONERY (7 3/4 x 10 1/2") dated Oct. 15, 1937 and March 24, 1938. The first is a full page letter in which he writes in part "I try as hard as I can to be as honest as I can in these days of hectic industrialism, so far I have been fortunate enough to keep myself at a fair distance from the cogs of the machine... am at work on a book I think you will enjoy. It is the Song of Roland for L.E.C. Hand colored and gold, good printing, good paper and an excellent binding. It is going to be a real book for the Club for once." The second is a page and a half where he refers to Roland and also refers to having written his first book. In part: "The Song of Roland is almost completed, since undertaking for the first time to hand color the illustrations in three colors and gold illuminated I have come to realize the great amount of work that has gone into this book. 1500 copies hand colored are lots of books. ... The juvenile book... is going to press ... It is my first attempt at writing but have enjoyed every moment of the task...