VANITY FAIR a Novel Without a Hero Introduction by G. K. Chesterton

2 volumes. LIMITED EDITION on of only 1500 hand-numbered copies SIGNED BY THE ILLUSTRATOR, JOHN AUSTEN. With twenty plates, inclusive of the frontispiece for each volume, by John Austen each is colour augmented by hand by the firm of Daniel Jacomet in Paris. Also with five roughly 1/3-page illustrations as headpieces and an illustration on each titlepage, all also by John Austen. 4tos, in the publisher's bindings of paper-covered boards backed in gilt lettered magenta buckram, the paper on the boards with an all over floral colour design by Albert Rutherston, this same design but with variations to the colours, is also used for the endpages, the flies, and for the included dustjackets, which have gray paper labels on the spines and front covers printed in black. xx, 365vii, 367-772, [1] pp. The volumes are very fine, essentially as mint and in excellent condition, the jackets are fresh and fine and very attractive with just a little bit of edge wear, quite minor.

Edizione: thackeray's most famous novel, and one of the great works of the 19th century, finely produced in limited edition and signed by the illustrator. for this entry in the l.e.c. george macy chose dr. john johnson, the printer for oxford univisity, to design it and oversee the production. it is the first of several that would be done in a near identical format. it is also the first of several books for the l.e.c. that employed the talent of artist john austen; the later books being the pickwick papers in 1933, the adventures of peregrine pickle in 1935, the adventures of gil blas of santillane in 1937, and the old wives’ tale in 1941.<br> john austen's fanciful line drawings are especially well suited for vanity fair. the restrained and subtle use of colour is just right for them, brightening them up but never enough to make them gaudy. george macy himself stated concern that many would deface these volumes by slicing out the pictures to frame.<br> these volumes were printed by dr. johnson on paper specially made for them at the arches mill in france, it is snowy white and thus a good complement to the gentle use of colour in the illustrations. the type used is a baskerville monotype in a bold and easy to read 14 point size.<br>