Available Copies from Independent Booksellers
Robinson, Alan James. A print of an Armadillo. Cheloniidae Press, N.P., 1982.
Price: US$24.00 + shipping
Description: small folio. broadside. NOTE: THIS IS FOR ONE PRINT ONLY. An individual print of an armadillo by Alan James Robinson. Limited to 100 numbered copies signed by the artist. This illustration is from An Odd Bestiary; or, a Compendium of Instructive and Entertaining Descriptions of Animals. Arranged as an Abecedary (Cheloniidae Press, 1982). The original edition was limited to an edition of 300 copies Illustrated by Alan Robinson. The large red initials printed in the regular edition are done by calligrapher Elizabeth "Betse" Curtis. The book is a compilation of travellers' descriptions of real and mythical beasts drawn from five hundred years of travelogues. Each page of text is adorned with a small wood engraving of the creature, with the initial letter of the name superimposed. This is followed by a full page engraving of the same creature with a much briefer quotation printed in red ink.
Seller: Oak Knoll Books, ABAA, ILAB, NEW CASTLE, DE, U.S.A.
Robinson, Alan James & Elizabeth Curtis. A print of an Armadillo. Cheloniidae Press, N.P., 1982.
Price: US$24.00 + shipping
Description: small folio. broadside. NOTE: THIS IS FOR ONE PRINT ONLY. An individual print of an armadillo by Alan James Robinson, with a red 'A' in calligraphy by Elizabeth Curtis. Minor foxing to the leaf, else fine condition. Signed by both artists. This illustration is from An Odd Bestiary; or, a Compendium of Instructive and Entertaining Descriptions of Animals. Arranged as an Abecedary (Cheloniidae Press, 1982). The original edition was limited to an edition of 300 copies Illustrated by Alan Robinson. The large red initials printed in the regular edition are done by calligrapher Elizabeth "Betse" Curtis. The book is a compilation of travellers' descriptions of real and mythical beasts drawn from five hundred years of travelogues. Each page of text is adorned with a small wood engraving of the creature, with the initial letter of the name superimposed. This is followed by a full page engraving of the same creature with a much briefer quotation printed in red ink.
Seller: Oak Knoll Books, ABAA, ILAB, NEW CASTLE, DE, U.S.A.
Price: US$644.13 + shipping
Description: Folio, ff.[78], [2 (blank)]; printed in red and black throughout, with 52 large woodcut illustrations, embossed Cheloniidae device to title, limitation, and final blank; an excellent copy in red morocco-backed boards by Gray Parrot, beige sides, spine lettered in gilt, edges trimmed retaining deckle-edges.First edition, numbered 69 of 200 copies from a limited edition of 300 and signed by the artist. This attractive work presents an alphabetical selection of twenty-six animals extant, extinct, and mythic pairing sensitive and at times striking woodcuts by Robinson with ancient and modern texts selected by the poet Laurie Block, from Heliodorus and Pliny to Darwin and Melville via Mandeville and Marco Polo. Language: English
Seller: Bernard Quaritch Ltd ABA ILAB, London, United Kingdom
Price: US$750.00 + shipping
Description: First edition, one of 200 regular copies (of a total edition of 300, 100 deluxe). Original publisher's quarter red morocco over buff linen cloth boards, spine lettered in gilt, bound by Gray Parrot. Slight foxing to cloth boards, else fine. Original prospectus laid in. 26 wood engravings and 26 illustrated initials by Alan James Robinson, with text compiled and annotated by Laurie Block. An exquisite collection of wood engravings illustrating textual extracts regarding real and mythical animals which are, "for the most part, the earliest first-hand accounts, in English, of the animals pictured. although there have been many bestiaries throughout the centuries, some of them strikingly beautiful, this edition breaks from tradition in its text, calligraphy and its style of illustration" [from the prospectus].
Seller: Triolet Rare Books, ABAA, Los Angeles, CA, U.S.A.
Price: US$1375.00 + shipping
Description: First Edition, one of 200 copies all on Rives lightweight paper, from a total issue of 300 copies, signed by the artist, Alan James Robinson, and hand-numbered by him on the colophon page. Page size: 13-1/2 inches x 9-3/4 inches; 158pp including 6pp. Introduction by Laurie Block and 13pp. bibliography by Ms. Block. Bound by Grey Parrot: red quarter leather and light tan cloth over boards, tan cloth over boards folder for extra suite of engravings, clamshell box of tan linen over boards with red morocco spine stamped in gold gilt with title, fine. Each letter of the alphabet is exemplified by an animal whose name represents that letter. Each letter has its own page with a small woodengraving of the animal above printed text describing the animal. This is followed by an original full-page woodengraving of the animal with a caption and source printed in red by a page of text. The first letter of each of the 26 text sections is in red, original calligraphy by Betse Curtis in the style of Old English Gothic letters. The colophon features a red alphabet in Old English Gothic letters surrounding the debossed turtle (cheloniidae) with the colophon text printed in Arrighi. The text of the book is in Centaur as well as Arrighi, set in monotype by Mackenzie-Harris, with some hand-setting by Arthur Larson. The text, compiled by Laurie Block from five centuries of travelers' accounts, is "the story of how men came to view the animate world as a reality with its own unique history, integrity, and order." The earliest bestiaries - full of fantasy and little fact - from the medieval period seem elementary in comparison to those produced by the scholarship of the Renaissance. Humans had renewed their efforts to portray and accurately describe those other living creatures that share their planet. And, their ever-expanding audience was delighted. This desire to see and know the living world continues unabated. Here is a textual survey from publications as early as the 1577 THE HISTORY OF TRAVAILE IN THE WEST AND EAST INDIES. by Richard Eden (for the Elephant's entry) to the 1839 NARRATIVE OF THE SURVEYING VOYAGES OF HIS MAJESTY'S SHIPS ADVENTURE AND BEAGLE. by Charles Darwin (for the Tortoise's entry). There are 26 wood engravings by Alan James Robinson for each animal / letter of the alphabet. There are also 26 smaller linecuts which appear above the page of text with the first letter of the animal's name printed over / with the image. The woodengraving is a full-page image with a sentence, printed in red, below the engraving referring to the animal. This is an altogether welcome addition to the much sought after bestiary. Elegantly and beautifully executed, it is one of Mr. Robinson's most charming endeavors.
Seller: Priscilla Juvelis Inc., ABAA, Kennebunkport, ME, U.S.A.
Block, Laurie (editor). ODD BESTIARY.|AN. Cheloniidae Press, N.P., 1982.
Price: US$1620.00 + shipping
Description: small folio. red quarter leather. Unpaginated. Limited to an edition of 300 copies of which this is 'Artist's Proof 1', the Artist's Copy. Illustrated by Alan Robinson. The large red initials printed in the regular edition are done by calligrapher Elizabeth "Betse" Curtis. The book is a compilation of travellers' descriptions of real and mythical beasts drawn from five hundred years of travelogues. Each page of text is adorned with a small wood engraving of the creature, with the initial letter of the name superimposed. This is followed by a full page engraving of the same creature with a much briefer quotation printed in red ink. This is a very fine example of the Cheloniidae Press.
Seller: Oak Knoll Books, ABAA, ILAB, NEW CASTLE, DE, U.S.A.
Price: US$1650.00 + shipping
Condition: Near Fine
Description: Copy #XXV of 50 deluxe numbered copies. This deluxe portfolio edition features the full leatherbound book, and a portfolio of all 52 plates (26 of Robinson's wood-engravings, signed and numbered XXV/L by Robinson, and the additional suite of 26 smaller illustrations by Robinson accompanied by a large hand-calligraphed initial by Betse (Elisabeth) Curtis in red ink, signed by both Robinson and Curtis). The book is bound in full red morocco, illustrated with 26 wood-engravings and 26 line drawings by Robinson, with 26 hand-lettered initials by Curtis, together with her elaborate hand-lettered colophon (also signed by Robinson); the portfolio of prints is bound in quarter red morocco over tan linen. The works are housed in publisher's red morocco-backed clamshell box with tan linen boards, lined with brown silk. The book and portfolio case are fine; four of the prints on verso have archival Japanese-tissue hinging at top (entirely removable), and the portfolio has fading and wear to leather spine and spotting to spine and covers. Laid in loose are a) the original prospectus for this work; b) the 'Cheloniidae' illustrated broadside dated 1982 signed by Robinson; c) Robinson's 5-page artist's CV from 1982, 8 1/2 x 11 inches, stapled; Quill & Brush's 2-page price list of works by Robinson, ca. 1982.
Seller: Arundel Books, Seattle, WA, U.S.A.
Price: US$2500.00 + shipping
Condition: As New
Description: Chelondiidae Press; Williamsburg, 1982. Hardcover. Limited and Signed Edition. A Near Fine, designed and illustrated by Alan James Robinson, text compiled and annotated by Laurie Block. Illustrated with 26 initial linecuts and 26 wood engravings by Alan James Robinson. Full red Moroccan goat blind stamped, and hand tooled with pasted endpapers, pages untrimmed, in a quarter Morocco and clamshell box. 300 deluxe copies, bound in full leather by David Bourbeau with an additional suite of the vignettes in separate portfolio, each with a calligraphed letter, signed by Robinson and the calligrapher Elisabeth Curtis, along with an additional suite of the full-page plates signed and numbered by Robinson. Signed by Robinson at the colophon where Curtis has also calligraphed an alphabet. Each of the twenty-six animals is represented in two leaves: a large wood engraving captioned in red, and a text page headed by a smaller line engraving; each opening letter is calligraphed in red by Elizabeth Curtis. A truly exquisite production. Minimal handling marks/shelf wear, few discoloration spots to Slipcase. A very nice, clean and unmarked elegant set. 4to[quarto or approx. 11.5 x 13.5 inches]. We pack securely and ship daily with delivery confirmation on every book. The picture on the listing page is of the actual book for sale. Additional Scan(s) are available for any item, please inquire.Please note: Oversized books/sets MAY require additional postage then what is quoted for 2.2lb book.
Seller: Lavendier Books, Foster, RI, U.S.A.
Price: US$2500.00 + shipping
Condition: Fine
Description: Deluxe edition, copy #46 of only 50 issued with an extra portfolio containing a suite of the 26 engravings, each SIGNED and numbered by Robinson, plus a suite of the 26 smaller linecut illustrations, each with hand calligraphy by Curtis and SIGNED by Robinson and Curtis, all contained in a morocco-backed sleeve that matches the clamshell box. The alphabet book compiled by Laurie Block is equally wonderful. Fine.
Seller: Sanctuary Books, A.B.A.A., New York, NY, U.S.A.
Price: US$6000.00 + shipping
Condition: Fine
Description: Hardcover. UNIQUE COPY WITH A SET OF THE 26 ORIGINAL PENCIL DRAWINGS BY ALAN JAMES ROBINSON. There were 300 copies of this book published; 200 were regular copies, 50 were deluxe copies with quarter leather binding and 50 others bound in full leather. The deluxe editions were issued with a set of proofs of the wood engravings and a set of proofs of the line-cut initials, with a large calligraphic manuscript initial beneath each image. The wood engraving proofs are lettered and signed by Robinson, and the line-cut proofs are signed both by Robinson and the calligrapher, Elizabeth Curtis. This copy shows some variation from the copies described in the prospectus. The colophon has been signed and numbered VI of L and internally seems to be a straightforward copy of the deluxe full leather edition. The binding varies somewhat from that pictured in the prospectus but uses many of the same elements. Also, the chemise is thicker that the regular chemise because it contains the 26 pencil drawings. This may have been a special copy prepared by Robinson for a particular subscriber/collector. This wonderful abecedary illustrates each letter of the alphabet with a masterful wood engraving by Robinson. Each animal is described at the bottom of its page in texts chosen primarily from the earliest first-hand accounts of the animal depicted. The descriptions are printed in red. The printed source of each text is identified, and at the end of the book there is a detailed and useful bibliography of these sources. A page with a small, different illustration of the animal precedes each animal's page, with the calligraphic letter written in red by Curtis. The animals depicted are often wondrous and strange, and some, such as the basilisk, may never have actually existed. This is a two volume folio (including a chemise containing an additional suite of illustrations, and the group of original pencil drawings). The bound volume is in full red morocco, done by David Bourbeau of the Thistle Bindery. The covers have a large central, slightly sunken panel, with the title in red and black and with a Sea Turtle device blocked in blind (Cheloniidae is the name for a species of sea turtles). The proofs contained in the chemise are unbound as issued within the original red morocco-backed, linen cloth covered boards. Both volumes are housed in a red morocco-backed cloth covered box, with the spine lettered and dated in gilt and a small Sea Turtle device in blind. "The blocks were cut by the artist at the Cheloniidae Press & printed by Harold P. McGrath in the summer of 1982. Mackenzie-Harris set the types in monotype with some hand-setting by Arthur Larson. The text was compiled and annotated by Laurie Block. The hand calligraphy is by Betsy Curtis. The paper is Rives lightweight" (from the colophon). The 8-page prospectus is laid in. A remarkable production from this press. In fine condition. PRI/020112.
Seller: The Kelmscott Bookshop, ABAA, Savage, MD, U.S.A.