< Back

Housman, Laurence; Housman, Clemence (sculpt.).
The Blue Moon [Signed with original prose by Housman].
Publisher: John Murray, London;
Date of Publication: 1904
Stock Code: 15245
First edition. Octavo, pp., vii, [1], 210, plus illustrated frontispiece and title-page, and 7 plates, all by Laurence Housman and engraved by his sister, Clemence. Complete with publisher’s terminal blank. Publisher’s original dark blue cloth; titled in gilt to spine; all-over design by Housman stamped in midnight blue to upper cover; top edge gilt; white end-papers. Bookplate of Percival F. Hinton to front paste-down; bookplate of W. Curran Reedy to front free end-paper. Inscription by Laurence Housman in ink to half-title ‘“Once in a blue moon” means // always in a blue moon, for it // stands for belief in beauty.’ Newspaper clipping regarding Laurence Housman pasted to facing end-paper. Spine faded but gilt bright; edges a little rubbed; shelf-wear to spine-tips with nicks; slight mottling to boards; lower joint starting to head and tail but holding well. A few spots of foxing to fore-edge; very light toning to contents, otherwise clean. A very good copy. An interesting inscribed copy of Housman’s collection of fairy tales, illustrated in the artist’s distinctive art-nouveau style. Percival F. Hinton (1896-1977) was a journalist, biographer and local historian living in Birmingham, whose papers are held at the Cadbury Research Library in Birmingham University. W. Curran Reedy (1892-1970) was a Royal Navy Officer and war poet, as well as a writer on cricket. £200.00