COWPER, William. Poems by William Cowper, Of the Inner Tempe, Esq.: [FORE-EDGE PAINTING]. [EDWARDS OF HALIFAX, binder]. 

[FORE-EDGE PAINTING]. [EDWARDS OF HALIFAX, binder].

COWPER, William. Poems by William Cowper, Of the Inner Tempe, Esq.
In Two Volumes. A New Edition.

London: Printed for J. Johnson and Co., 1812.

Two Superb Edwards of Halifax 'Etruscan' Binding with Two Fine Early Fore-Edge Paintings. Each volume with a fine early twentieth century fore-edge painting by. "Berkhampsted. Cowper's Birthplace" & "East Dereham Churchyard. Cowper's Burial Place"

Two small octavo volumes (6 1/4 x 3 3/4 inches; 158 x 95 mm.). [2], x, [1]-368; viii, [1]-368 pp. Each volume with a small typed label on the verso of the front free endpaper describing the fore-edge scene. Each volume with an ink inscription on the verso of the title-page, presenting the book "To St. Mary of -the-Woods College from Gladys M. Moloney.

Contemporary matching "Etruscan Calf" bindings by Edwards of Halifax, with a fore-edge painting. Covers with gilt pentaglyph and metope border, stenciled frame of palmettes, central panel enclosed by a stenciled border, enclosed is a stenciled device of a fan–like shape with tulips on a pointillé background and other geometric shapes, spine with five raised bands, elaborately tooled in gilt in compartments, two red morocco gilt lettered labels, gilt board edges and turn ins, marbled endpapers, all edges gilt. Joints expertly and almost invisibly repaired. Housed in a specially made full red morocco vertical slipcase, two spines with five raised bands decoratively ruled and lettered in gilt in compartments. The case is stamped in gilt "Made by Sangorski & Sutcliffe, London, England / For Marshall Field and Company." The superb fore-edge paintings were executed in the early twentieth century and are of the highest quality. They ae possibly the work of Joseph Clayton Clark, a.k.a. KYD.

Two very Fine examples of Edwards of Halifax bindings with two exceptionally fine early twentieth century fore-edge paintings. Edwards of Halifax was distinguished English (Yorkshire) family of bookbinders and booksellers, of whom William Halifax (1723-1808) and his son James (1756-1816) were the most famous. William Halifax was known for his revival of the fore-edge painting and Etruscan calf bindings, the latter, which, if not evolved by William, were successfully adopted by him. He also redeveloped the art of painting under transparent vellum. All three specialities seem to have been carried on both in the Edwards' home town of Halifax, where Thomas (1762-1834), another son, was in business until 1826 and in London, where James and John (1785-c 1791) opened a book store in 1784. Gladys McKenney Molony (1907-1996). Born in Toledo, Ohio she received her B.A. at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College in Terre Haute, Indiana. In 1930 she married William R. Molony, Jr., M.D., and moved to Los Angeles, CA. She was a patroness of the Los Angeles Museum of Art and the Los Angeles Civic Light Opera. She donated her fine collection of Fore-Edge Paintings to Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College in 1967. A catalog of The Gladys McKenney Molony collection of fore-edge paintings in the Rare Book Room, Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College Library was apparently issued in 1973. Provenance: William E. Henzel, Chicago Ill; Valentine Miller; Mrs. Philip D. Sang; Gladys McKenney Molony presented to the Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College Library, Indiana (November 1986).

Item ID#0512