'Signature: A Quadrimestrial of Typography and Graphic Arts'...

Estimate

£500 - £600

'Signature: A Quadrimestrial of Typography and Graphic Arts', edited Oliver Simon, London, Curwen Press, March 1938-December 1940, seven issues of the 1st series including the highly desirable no. 9 with the original Graham Sutherland etching, comprising first series issues no. 8,9,10,11,12,14 & 15, content and numerous illustrations by leading illustrators, graphic artists/artists and typographers of the period including Paul Nash, Graham Sutherland, Edward Bawden, Barnett Freedman, Edward Ardizzone, John Piper, Lynton Lamb, Berthold Wolpe, Stanley Morison, Joan Miro, Pablo Picasso, Raoul Dufy, Pierre Bonnard, Marc Chagall,, Alfred Latour, Georges Rouault, Andre Derain etc, comprising No. 8, March 1938, frontispiece being a lithograph in 5 colours by Barnett Freedman, contents includes: 'Ambroise Vollard as a Publisher', by Lynton Lamb and 'The Le Be Family', by Ellic Howe, plus typography articles etc; No. 9, July 1938, Contents include - frontispiece, an original etching and aquatint by Graham Sutherland, 'Clegyr-Boia II': Landscape In Wales, 1938, (Ref: Tassi 33), printed by Walsh of London, for Curwen Press, ther contents include, 'Mr Whatman, Papermaker', by James Wardrop. 'A Survey Of Modern Binding', by Desmond Flower. 'Openings', by Paul Nash; No.10, November 1938, ontents include - wood engraving by D. Galanis. 'Henry Fuseli, RA. 1741 - 1825', by John Piper. 'The Publications Of The tablissements, Nicolas Wine Merchants', by J.E. Pouterman; No.11, March 1939, contents include - a Barnett Freedman coloured lithograph produced on four stones and specially printed for Signature. The frontispiece is, 'Evening In Maida Vale', by Edward Ardizzone. 'Leipzig As A Centre Of Typefounding', by Stanley Morison. 'Typographia', by Holbrook Jackson. 'An Aspect Of Nineteenth Century French Jobbing', by P.H. Lang; No. 12, July 1939, frontispiece being a lithograph by John Nash drawn directly onto four stones by the artist at The Baynard Press and printed specially for Signature July 1939. Contents include: articles by Herbert Read, James Wardrop, Philip James on 'The Pelican Press' and H.P.R. Finberg on 'The Hirsch Collection of Decorated Papers'; No.14, May 1940, contents include - 'Edward Ardizzone', by J.M. Richards, with 7 pages of illustrations by Ardizzone including, 'Public Bar at the George', from 'The Local'. 'Books illustrated by Pablo Picasso: Together with a Hand-list', by J.E. Pouterman; No.15, December 1940, contents include - 'Anton Janson Identified', by Stanley Morison. 'Napoleon's Books', by Desmond Flower. 'Berthold Wolpe', by Nicolette Gray, plus Indexes to Signatures vols. 1 - 15 of Subjects, Book Reviews and Artists. An Editor's note states, 'The current number of Signature is the last for the time being. We have decided to suspend publication until after the War'. Oliver Simon was later to write, 'Production was finally suspended with volume fifteen, which went to press on the night of October 7 1940, when during production a bomb fell on the Curwen Press destroying the offices and removing the roof of the machine room. The weather remained fine and dry and the final number of Signature, a mere five hundred and fifty copies, was printed under a bright blue sky', each 4to, original printed wraps (7)