Fine Printed Books & Manuscripts, Including Americana

4to. With an original leaf from Barclay's Ship of Fools tipped in. Original linen-backed decorative boards, red printed paper spine label, uncut (light spotting or toning to spine). [Laid in:] Bifolium prospectus and unused order form.

LIMITED EDITION, one of 115 copies CONTAINING AN ORIGINAL LEAF BEARING A WOODCUT (fol. CCLXI, modern pagination "266” in pencil), from a total edition of 260. A SPECIAL COPY with the original leaf showing Pynson's amusing woodcut illustration of the ship of fools.

"Caxton is England's first printer, but Pynson may well be called her first typographical artist. Pynson, who was printer to the King, introduced Roman type into English books, and in The Ship of Fools may be found one of its earliest manifestations. Every trade, profession and rank is lampooned by Barclay in his verse translation of Sebastian Brant's famous allegory, which depicts a ship, freighted with fools and knaves, among whom is found as an early passenger the Book-Collector: 'So in lyke wyse of bokys I have store / But few I rede and fewer understand / I followed not they doctrine nor they lore / It is enough to bere a boke in hande.'" (from the prospectus). Chalmers, Disbound and Dispersed Checklist 75.