The Third Thing

[Monmouthshire]: The Old Stile Press [2013], 2013. Limited Edition. Hardcover. Fine. Kiggell, Ralph. Special Edition, No. I of X, folio size, 52 pp., signed by Ralph Kiggell. The special edition includes a separate suite of woodcuts, titled, numbered (1/10) and signed by Ralph Kiggell, in four colours, that complement but are different from the illustrations in the volume; these illustrations are printed on Japanese paper, with water-based inks and by hand, using a baren, by the artist himself. Both are encased in a custom clamshell box.

The title comes from D.H. Lawrence's wonder at "the third thing" that binds an oxygen atom with two of hydrogen. A selection of poems with woodcut images by Ralph Kiggell, all centred about the idea of WATER. Ralph "allowed himself to explore poems and prose - from across different ages and cultures - to inspire the illustration of water as it interacts with landscape, animal and man. Poets and writers have shown us that from sea to land to cloud and back to sea, the cycle of water encapsulates history and life itself." (N.B., from the web site of The Old Stile Press.) Each selection is lavishly illustrated with woodcut illustrations printed in colours reminiscent of water - blues, greens, aquas - with each illustration spilling over two pages.

___DESCRIPTION: Paper covered boards papers printed with the artist's images of fish swimming, blue spine lettering, grey endpapers, Introduction by the illustrator, woodcuts throughout printed directly from the wood in multiple colours; folio size (approximately 13" tall), unpaginated with 26 leaves, paper Velin Arches, France (with watermark on the paper); limited edition of 150 total, this no. I of X copies of the Special Edition. A separate suite of four illustrations made by Ralph Kiggel himself, see above for details; these are enclosed in a paper-covered wallet. Both the volume and the wallet with the suite of illustrations are enclosed in a custom clamshell box covered in linen cloth with a decorative paper label on the front, lined with royal blue suede.

___CONDITION: Fine, the separate suites of illustrations fine, as is its wallet and the custom box.

___POSTAGE: International customers, please note that additional postage may apply as the standard does not always cover costs; please contact us for details.

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