Dearest Joana

Denby Dale, UK: The Fleece Press, (2000).

Two Volumes. 4to. 11 1/2 x 7 1/4 inches. 147; (302), [ii], 7 plates, [ii, colophon] pp. Profusely illustrated with examples of the artist's work, including 60 wood engravings, designs for dust-jackets, bookplates, book illustrations, Christmas cards postage stamps, both tipped-in, mounted, or plates, index, suite of 15 engravings on 7 plates printed from the wood; text clean, unmarked. Quarter natural vellum, marbled paper over boards, spine titled in gilt, clear plastic dust-jackets, housed in the original cloth-backed slip case. GIL921-022. Fine.

LIMITED EDITION of 300 copies, this is one of 40 copies in quarter vellum with an extra printed section of engravings. Text set in Scotch Roman by Peter J. Sanderson at Whittington, J. W. Northland printed the color and duotone illustrations in Sheffield, bound in Ottley by Smith Settle, using marbled paper made in Venice by Enrico Ricciardi.

This title is different from other collections of Joan Hassall's (1906-1988) correspondence in that includes a wide range of letters from Hassall to personal acquaintances of the artist. The letters do discuss her artistic work and processes, but the aim of the collection was to emphasize the broad range of interests and accomplishments of Ms. Hassall beyond her artwork, the subject matter of which ranged from natural history, to poetry, and illustrations of English literary classics. She was the first woman elected Master of the Art Workers' Guild. 38 copies OCLC.