Days and Hours in a Garden
London: Elliot Stock, 1898.
A superb example of a vellucent binding. Cedric Chivers (1853 -1929) of Bath revived the technique of painting under vellum. Chivers would execute his paintings on paper which was covered with a translucent skin to form the binding, The covers were then lightly tooled with gold. It is rare to find such a finely preserved fine binding.
Signed by Chivers.
In 'Days and Hours in a Garden', 19th century Scotish artist and writier, Eleanor Vere Boyle (1825 -1916) takes us through the months of the year, the cherry blossoms, the rooks, the wild ivy etc. etc., reminiscent of a modest walled-garden 'Walden' by Thoreau.
VIII MAY
"There have been just one or two sweet days, when the white Cherry orchards shone softly against the sky of serenest blue; days when we did not but revel in the joyous present, forgetting quite that ever it could be that "rough winds do shake the darling buds of May"
Octavo, vellucent binding, top edge gilt, frontispiece, small woodcut illustrations throughout, 210 pages, a fine copy in beautiful original condition housed in a custom box with leather bands and gilt titling.
Price (AUD): $5,000.00 other currencies