1871 Bewick's Select Fables of Aesop and Others

Description

Illustrated, Publishers' Original Binding, With Slipcase

In a custom cloth clamshell, bound by Eric Sweet in November 2008. Clamshell is in a near fine condition. 

The collected fables of Aesop and others.

Illustrated with a frontispiece, and woodcuts throughout. Collated, complete.

Four pages of adverts to the rear.

Aesop's Fables is a selection of fables, generally attributed to the ancient Greek Aesop. The fables are moral tales that guide in religious and secular aspects of life.

This edition was reprinted from the rare Newcastle edition published by T. Saint in 1784.

Thomas Bewick spent almost his entire creative career producing various editions of illustrated 'Aesop's Fables', the first of which was published in 1776.

Bewick was an illustrator known for his fine illustrations for books, illustrating many natural history works, such as 'A History of British Birds', and 'A History of Quadrupeds'. He is known for popularising the practice of printing illustrations using wood, producing high-quality illustrations at a lower price.

The preface is illustrated by Edwin Pearson.

Clamshell bound by Eric Sweet, a keen collector of private press and fables. He studied at the Brighton College of Art, before moving to London to work as a lettering artist and typographer for advertising agencies, later becoming the head of Birmingham School of Printing. Sweet's bindings are unique and striking, reflecting the topics of the volumes in distinctive style.