THE ILIAD OF HOMER Translated by Alexander Pope With the Introduction by Mr. Pope [and] THE ODYSSEY OF HOMER Translated by Alexander Pope With an Introduction by Carl Van Doren

Together two volumes. LIMITED EDITION designed by Jan van Krimpen, each is one of 1500 numbered copies SIGNED BY VAN KRIMPEN. Both volumes with the same limitation number, rarely encountered thus. The type beautifully hand-set in van Krimpen's Romanée typeface, which was premiered here in these two volumes, and printed on fine Dutch water-marked paper. 4to, publisher's full cloth, that of the Iliad being bound in red cloth while Odyssey is bound in blue cloth, the spines lettered in gilt, top edges gilt while the others remain untrimmed, in the original slipcases of yellow paper-backed boards with cream labels printed in black. xxxviii,706; [5]; xiv, 548, [3] pp. A handsome set, internally both volumes are as new and pristine and largely unopened, the bindings strong and sturdy, hinges firm, the cloth with no wear or bumping, very slight mellowing to the spine. The slipcases only with some wear and chipping to the yellow paper and with some stress along the seams, the Iliad slipcase faded at the back panel.

Edizione: a rather rare production for the limited editions club, and surely among their most elegant and tasteful offerings. george macy believed homer to be "beyond the power of any modern illustrator" and thus demanded the simple dignity of a non-illustrated edition. it is one of only a tiny few to be adorned only by its own typography. for that, his choice was second-to-none as he employed jan van krimpen, dutch typographer, book designer and type designer. van krimpen's work is classical in style, focusing on the simplicity and high quality of his romanée foundry type, which was used for the first time in these two volumes. each of the two volumes is signed by van krimpen and numbered on the colophon.