Comus: A Mask

Newtown: Gregynog Press, 1931. Hughes-Stanton, Blair. Octavo. (10), 25, (3)pp. From an edition of 250 copies, this is one of twenty-five printed on Japanese vellum and bound after a design by Blair Hughes-Stanton himself. It marks Hughes-Stanton's first contribution to the Press' run of special bindings, and the advent of a shift in the style of those bindings toward modernity, embracing restraint while highlighting line and form. Hughes-Stanton likewise supplied as wood engravings the frontispiece, title vignette, and illustrations of all six costumed characters. This is the first book of the Press arranged by William McCance, though set and printed by Idris Jones. Its artistic and critical success helped turn the Press' fortunes and added to its growing reputation as a pinnacle of not only Welsh bookmaking, but of Western printing as a whole. Hughes-Stanton's binding is of full dun-colored levant morocco, with covers bearing vertical panels of blind lines, bordered by gilt frames. Upper cover shows the title in blind on its own panel. Spine offers five raised bands, with panels outlined in gilt and title in blind. Signed on the turn-in of the upper cover "Gregynog Press Bindery" and on the back cover with the names of both Hughes-Stanton and George Fisher, who executed the binding. Near fine, showing some light rubbing and toning to the spine. Housed in a matching solander box by Paul Delrue.

This copy is further inscribed by the Davies sisters, Margaret and Gwendoline, to Georgian poet and critic, Lascelles Abercrombie. The Davies sisters, in addition to founding the Press, instituted the Gregynog Festival, Wales' oldest classical music festival. A selection of 1930s programs for the festival are included with this copy. Abercrombie was himself published by the Press in 1940, and the prospectus for that edition, entitled Lyrics and Unfinished Poems, is also included. (Harrop 19).