Lyrics Pathetic and Humorous A to Z
London: Frederick Warne, 1908. Dulac, Edmund. 1st ed. Hardcover. 1st ptg., 4to cream cloth over pictorial boards with heavy beveled edges. One of our very favorite Dulac titles, done in a humorous style completely unlike his more serious paintings. This is a very special alphabet book, each of the 24 full color plates illustrating a letter with accompanying verse. XYZ is consolidated into one plate [Hughey 18]. Every page is a full color painting printed on heavy, glossy paper. The endpapers are both different, printed in brown ink on even heavier paper. Dulac hand-drew the title page. There was no signed & limited edition of this. It was not reprinted (probably due to its obviously expensive production values) until recent times. Cover slightly rubbed, lower right hand tips worn, cloth slightly darkened. Still a very decent copy of a fragile book that is prone to wear. Light soiling to the title page and first plate, very minor wear to a couple other plates.
The International Studio called in this Warne's "most noteworthy" book of 1908...containing delightful drawings...with "the rare gift of color."
The Daily Telegraph went even further: "Mr. Dulac's pencil and brush have rarely been more successfully employed. Nothing more original in conception and effectivew in colour printing has perhaps appeared for a long time."
Biographer Ann Hughey: "The rollicking figures...with those of the Arabian Nights, are among the most delightful of his book pictures....It was almost as if Dulac himself felt that he has pushed his abilities with comedy and whimsy to peak results...after Lyrics he seemed to suppress this style and move to...new softer and more ethereal effects for The Tempest, The Sleeping Beauty and Hans Andersen Stories." Item #37227
Price: $750.00