SENDAK, Maurice (1928-2012). Poems from William Blake's Songs of Innocence. London: Stellar Press for The Bodley Head, 1967.
8vo. 8 sepia-toned illustrations in the text by Sendak. Original pictorial purple and white wrappers. Provenance: Max Reinhardt (1915-2002), British publisher and proprietor of The Bodley Head (slip laid in, printed "with compliments"); presented to J.B. Priestley (1894-1984), British novelist and playwright (bookplate, publisher's? notation "Priestley's copy").
FIRST EDITION, LIMITED ISSUE, one of 275 copies. Presentation copy from the publisher with a printed slip laid in. SIGNED BY SENDAK ON THE TITLE-PAGE.
"The slim booklet...was published in a limited edition of 275 copies, none of which were for sale — instead, they were given away as holiday gifts to the authors and artists The Bodley Head represented, and to a handful of other friends of the press.
The book is considered the rarest of Sendak’s published work — so rare that it’s practically impossible for even art historians to get their eyes on a copy for scholarly work. Only a handful are known to survive today, a couple of which signed by Sendak" (Popova, Maurice Sendak’s Rarest Art). Hanrahan A69. A FINE COPY.
