THE RARE VELLUM BOUND ISSUE
The Wind Among the Reeds
London: Elkin Mathews, 1903. Fourth edition. This is the rare vellum-bound version of this book, bound by Elkin Mathews in 1903, using the redrawn designs by Althea Gyles made for this edition. Fine condition, preserved in a slipcase and chemise. Robert Gregory's copy (Lady Gregory's son) with his hand-colored bookplate on the front pastedown. Arguably, this is the most important copy of this issue, as it was Gregory who at the request of A.G.B. Russell arranged for the special copies to be produced, believing that the book and its handsome cover design deserved better treatment than the drab blue and tarnished artificial gilt of the original publisher's cloth, Russell guaranteeing Elkin Mathews the sale of 25. Interestingly, this copy is largely unopened and Gregory no doubt had another for reading. After his death in the First World War, Yeats would memorialize Gregory in four poems: “In Memory of Major Robert Gregory”, “An Irish Airman Foresees his Death”, “Shepherd and Goatherd”, and “Reprisals” The vellum-bound fourth editions were all bound thus originally, while those from other editions are rebound and there are small variations between copies. Yeats was fond of gold and vellum bindings, and inscribed for John Quinn a copy of this the same issue "The binding of this book pleases me well. W.B. Yeats, March 1904". Professor Warwick Gould of the Institute of English Studies, University of London, is currently studying this version and has examined 13 or so copies, from the first, third and fourth editions. Item #32156
Price: $15,000.00