Songs of Innocence and of Experience by Blake, William - 1983

Manchester Etching Workshop, 1983. Facsimile. Near fine. 2 vols., large and smaller quarto, the larger bound in full red morocco, the smaller loose in wrappers as issued, both enclosed in brown cloth folding boxes, new as issued. With an additional folder containing one facsimile plate and the Viscomi text. Some of the corner mounts have been reattached. The larger volume is number 8 of 40, the smaller volume is number 8 of 35 and the additional folder is number 16 of 125. Editions limited to 35 and 40 copies, with 16 colour plates and an uncoloured proof in part one, and 19 plates in part two of which 17 are monochrome and two are hand-coloured. Both versions are accompanied by Joseph Viscomi's study of Blake's printing processes especially written for this edition (limited to 125 copies in all). Printed by Paul Ritchie from facsimile relief etchings on a rolling press with hand-made intaglio ink on dampened wove paper, repeating as closely as possible Blake's original printing technique and the paper he used. The colouring is by hand not stencil, and uses inks made to 18th century formulas to recreate the colours in copy B in the British Museum made by Blake in 1794-95. Due to the tiny edition, almost all copies were purchased by or for Institutions and this is the only copy to appear on the secondary market since publication -- and it may well be the last. Bentley, BBS, pp. 135-36.