POEMS

London: David Bogue, 1881. FIRST EDITION, First Issue. 192 x 126 mm. (7 1/2 x 5"). ix, [1], 236, [1] pp.
EXTREMELY ATTRACTIVE CRIMSON MOROCCO, INTRICATELY GILT, BY ZAEHNSDORF (stamp-signed and dated 1909 on front turn-in), covers framed in gilt, with delicate pointillé cornerpieces surrounding inlaid green morocco drawer handles and oblique floral tools, raised bands, spine panels densely gilt in the pointillé style of Bozerian, with stems of flowers radiating from pairs of inlaid green drawer handles, turn-ins gilt-ruled, red silk endleaves, top edge gilt, other edges untrimmed. Original (slightly soiled) gilt limp vellum binding bound in at rear. Mason 304. A few trivial spots internally, but A VERY FINE COPY--the leaves fresh, clean, and wide-margined, and the binding lustrous and virtually unworn.

This is a finely bound copy of the first edition of Wilde's first book of poetry, and his first substantial work of any kind. The collection is made up of 61 poems, 31 of which appear here for the first time. Many reflect Wilde's delight in his visit to the art towns of Italy; other poems, such as the tender "Resquiescat," written in memory of Wilde's sister Isola, who had died at the age of eight, show a more personal emotional sentiment. According to Mason, "the first printing (June 1881) consisted of 750 copies, of which only 250 copies were used for the first edition, the remaining 500 being equally divided between the second and third editions." Wilde himself oversaw the layout and design of the book, choosing the handmade Dutch paper on which it is printed, and the design of prunus blossoms on the vellum binding, here bound in at the rear. The only published books by Wilde to appear before the present work were his student poem "Ravenna," which was named the "Newdigate Prize Poem" at Oxford for 1878 (issued in wrappers), and his drama "Vera; or, the Nihilists," printed in 1880, of which Mason had knowledge of only two copies. Our attractive binding is a fine example of the work of the Zaehnsdorf firm, long a top-ranked English bindery. Born in Pest, Hungary, Joseph Zaehnsdorf (1816-86) served his apprenticeship in Stuttgart, worked at a number of European locations as a journeyman, and then settled in London, where he was hired first by Westley and then by Mackenzie before opening his own workshop in 1842. His son and namesake took over the business at age 33, when the senior Joseph died, and the firm flourished under the son's leadership, becoming a leading West End bindery. Over the years, Zaehnsdorf employed a considerable number of distinguished binders, including the Frenchman Louis Genth (who was chief finisher from 1859-84), and trained a number of others, including Roger de Coverly and Sarah Prideaux. A family-run business until 1947, the Zaehnsdorf bindery continued to produce consistently attractive and innovative designs executed with unfailing skill..