Genesis: Twelve Woodcuts by Paul Nash with the First Chapter of Genesis in the Authorised Version.

NASH, Paul

Limited edition of 375, this being number 44. Printed by the Curwen Press on Zanders hand-made paper, cream laid with the Curwen Press watermark, the pages French folded, untrimmed. Original black boards inscribed in gold Genesis on the spine and top of front board. Original orange/red dust jacket. 4to. Twelve wood engravings in black and white by Nash, with the text printed in Rudolph Kochs Neuland type. Desmond Coke's copy with a letter from Nash concerning proofs for 'Genesis' tipped in on the front free end paper. Desmond Coke (1879-1931), schoolmaster and author was obviously a close friend of Nash's and owned several of his paintings and other works. The letter from Nash accompanied 3 proofs from Genesis sent as a birthday present (not included here) "...my signed proofs are few and only for a select number of special friends...You will come to the show Desmond - I've sweated to get what is there...". Genesis is considered to contain some of Nash's finest engravings and marks the beginning of his association with the Curwen Press. This was John Carter's copy with his signature in red ink and note on one of the proofs on front free endpaper. John Waynflete Carter (1905-1975) was an English author, diplomat, bibliographer, book-collector, antiquarian bookseller and Vice-President of the Bibliographical Society of London. Loosely inserted is an invitation to a private view of the Paul Nash Memorial Exhibition. A fine copy with slight wear to the foot of the spine and corners bumped. The dust jacket is very good, a few short tears, slight loss to the foot of the spine which is also faded. This one of the most collected of Nonesuch Press items, particularly scarce with the notoriously fragile dust-jacket, which survives particularly well here.