Blind Drawings: examples of an exercise investigating the objective/subjective principle of graphic art. With an Introduction by Colin Franklin

London: Gogamog Private Press, 1978. The artist's archive for Blind Drawings, including one of three copies specially bound in full decorated vellum by Gemma O'Connor; like the other copies in the edition of 75 copies, it is printed on Hosho & coloured Japanese paper, with an original blind-drawn frontispiece, & signed by Cox, Franklin & O'Connor. The rest of the edition was bound in quarter vellum & Japanese patterned paper boards. "For many years he [Cox] had practised shutting his eyes, concentrating, drawing. ... All sorts of effects were achieved in blind drawings, a whirling ballet in line on white. Each was signed, dated and given a BD stamp of affirmation in red". Chambers, Franklin & Tucker 30, p. 156-158. The present archive represents some of Cox's finest achievements using this idiosyncratic mode of drawing. Far from a mere curiosity, Cox's blind drawings clearly reflect a spiritual accomplishment of a high order; though the result of an unconventional discipline, the drawings are marked with the elegance of line & subtlety of feeling that come only from long submission to the constraint of technique. A truly splendid archive including a wealth of original art by one of the great book artists of the Twentieth Century, of whom his patron, bibliographer & acolyte, Colin Franklin has said, "He is the Blake of my time". A wonderful collection. 4to, full vellum with ribbon ties, along with 25 original drawings, 1 bound working proof copy & 3 unbound proof copies laid into a folding light green clamshell cloth box with printed leather spine labels, accompanied by 28 original linoleum plates laid into a separate, matching box. The rest of the edition was bound in quarter vellum & Japanese patterned paper boards. "For many years he [Cox] had practised shutting his eyes, concentrating, drawing. ... All sorts of effects were achieved in blind drawings, a whirling ballet in line on white. Each was signed, dated and given a BD stamp of affirmation in red". Chambers, Franklin & Tucker 30, p. 156-158. The present archive represents some of Cox's finest achievements using this idiosyncratic mode of drawing. Far from a mere curiosity, Cox's blind drawings clearly reflect a spiritual accomplishment of a high order; though the result of an unconventional discipline, the drawings are marked with the elegance of line & subtlety of feeling that come only from long submission to the constraint of technique. A truly splendid archive including a wealth of original art by one of the great book artists of the Twentieth Century, of whom his patron, bibliographer & acolyte, Colin Franklin has said, "He is the Blake of my time". A wonderful collection.