CURWEN

Two attractive pieces of Curwen Press ephemera. 'Cornucopia' is scarce: no copy at the British Library, and the only two copies on JISC at Lancaster and Aberystwyth. The 'Short History' is better represented. ONE: 'Cornucopia'. 12pp, landscape 12mo. Stapled into illustrated wraps. Printed in brown on cream paper. Booklet designed by James Shurmer, with text by Basil Harley. Many illustrations of unicorns arranged in eight 'plates'. Internally in good condition, but front cover grubby, and blank back cover stained. TWO: 'The Curwen Press / A Short History'. 39pp, small 4to.

7 + [1]pp, 4to. On two loose bifoliums. In fair condition, worn and aged. Stamped twice on cover: 'CORRECTION COPY' with date 1 July 1938, and second date, 29 November 1946. On the cover is an attractive stylized children's illustration, Curwen press style, hand-coloured in blue and orange, depicting three policemen walking in a line, truncheon aloft, before a row of houses and a church. The second page is blank; the third carries 'Hints for Performance', including 'Directions for Marching'. The musical score (for voice and piano) and words cover the four pages 4-7.

1p., 4to. Nicely printed (by the Curwen Press?) on watermarked laid paper. In good condition, lightly aged and worn. A nice piece of First Edition Club ephemera. The year to which the circular relates is meant to be added in manuscript, but has not been. Begins: 'The Committee appointed to choose the Fifty Books of the Year for [blank] will be grateful if, at your early convenience, you will submit such of your publications as seem to you most likely to be selected. I may perhaps remind you that the criteria by which judgment is made are | 1. TYPOGRAPHICAL DESIGN | 2. PAPER | 3. BINDING | 4.

2pp., 4to. 23 lines. Bifolium. In fair condition, on aged paper, with the two pages of text on the two sides of the first leaf, and the address on the reverse of the second leaf, which has minor damage due to removal from mount, and carries two postmarks, and a broken red wax seal, with address by Curwen, to 'The Revd. Andrew Reed D.D.

3pp., 12mo. Bifolium. 40 lines. In fair condition, creased and with minor damage to second leaf from previous mounting. Addressing Reed as 'Dear Charles', Curwen explains that when asked who he would like as chairman for a forthcoming meeting, 'it was natural I should mention you, because of our old regard'. He is sorry that his 'friends' applied 'again - after your declining'.