Edward Wadsworth — Sailing-Ships and Barges of the Western Mediterranean and Adriatic Seas, 17 Hand-Colored Engravings, Curwen Press (1926)

WADSWORTH, EDWARD; with an introduction by BERNARD WINDELER.
Sailing-Ships and Barges of the Western Mediterranean and Adriatic Seas: A Series of Copper Plates Engraved in the Line Manner by Edward Wadsworth and Coloured by Hand.
London: Frederick Etchells & Hugh Macdonald, 1926.

First and only edition of Edward Wadsworth’s celebrated maritime artist’s book, produced in a limited edition of 450 copies.

Illustrated with a full-page map, four decorative head- and tailpieces—two colored by hand—and 17 full-page copper engravings depicting the traditional sailing ships and working barges of the western Mediterranean and Adriatic. Sixteen of the full-page plates are colored by hand. The illustrations are printed on the rectos only, with introductory and descriptive text by Bernard Windeler.

Printed at the Curwen Press on Zanders handmade paper in Rudolf Koch’s elegant Kursiv type. The copper engravings were printed by A. Alexander & Sons, and the original plates were destroyed following completion of the edition.

Publisher’s quarter cream buckram over orange cloth boards, with a gilt-stamped nautical device on the front board and gilt spine lettering. Page edges untrimmed. Complete with the uncommon publisher’s slipcase and printed label.

Wadsworth’s only independently conceived artist’s book, uniting his precise line engraving, modernist sense of design, and lifelong interest in ships and maritime machinery. The carefully integrated typography, handmade paper, hand coloring, and spare geometric compositions make it one of the outstanding British private-press books of the 1920s.

Edition: One of 450 numbered copies.
Illustrations: Seventeen full-page copper engravings, 16 colored by hand; full-page map and four decorative devices.
Printing: Curwen Press on Zanders handmade paper.
Dimensions: Approximately 35.5 × 28 cm (14 × 11 inches).
Condition: Cream cloth spine lightly toned, with slight bumping to the book’s extremities. Text lightly toned with occasional minor foxing. Publisher’s slipcase soiled and affected by worming, with old repairs. The book itself remains near fine.