The Inevitable Thomas B. Mosher Post

Oh yes, there's more!

The Mosher Books, A List of Books in Belles Lettres Issued In Choice and Limited Editions, 1891 - 1909.
Mosher issued yearly catalogues of his books and periodically lengthier catalogues such as this one. For the collector of Mosher books these catalogues are rare and invaluable. This catalogue is as beautiful as the books he published, featuring bibliophilic poems and extracts, Kelmscott style decorations and Van Gelder paper. This volume included the glassine wrapper as well as the order form, envelope and small prospectus of four new editions. I have learned quite a bit about the Mosher books I have and into which series they belong. For example, there were three different editions available in the Old World Series: the cardstock covered editions, the editions with blue paper over cardboard and those bound in full leather. Devoted readers will remember my finding a silk ribbon placemark in one of the Mosher books and my questioning whether that was part of the book originally. From the catalogue I have learned that the silk ribbon placemark was standard to that series!

The History of Over Sea, by William Morris, published by Thomas B. Mosher, 1899.
This was part of Mosher's Brocade series. Each book was a 16mo, on Japan vellum, issued with a pretty floral slipcase. I have several books from the Brocade series, but only two with the slipcase which seems to have been the first thing that got discarded or destroyed. This is an incredibly bright copy with entirely uncut pages. The slipcase is equally bright and completely intact. I'll have to get a reading copy to find out what the story is about!

Sylvie: Souvenirs Du Valois, by Gerard de Nerval, published by Thomas B. Mosher, 1899.
Part of the Old World series, this small octavo has the cardstock covers of the inexpensive editions in the series. What makes this edition so different is the hand illuminated illustration at the frontispiece! The silk ribbon placemark is still attached. An all together pretty edition.

The Story of Ida, by Francesca Alexander, published by Thomas B. Mosher, 1899.
This edition was part of the mid-range editions available in the Old World series. A small octavo with slate blue paper covered boards and white paper spine. A nice lithograph tipped in at the frontispiece. Despite the enthusiastic introduction by Joh Ruskin, this looks like a typically maudlin Victorian melodrama in which the heroine tragically dies. I pride myself on actually reading the books I collect, but I suspect this treacly book will sit ont he shelf.

The Story of My Heart, by Richard Jeffries, published by Thomas B. Mosher, 1909.
This edition was part of the deluxe editions available in the Old World series. The typical small octavo, bound in full leather with an embossed decoration of moon, stars and clouds on the cover, slipcased. I've never heard of Richard Jeffries but from Mosher's lengthy introduction Jeffries seems to have been a controversial writer, one who advocated free-thought yet returned to orthodox Christianity shortly before he died. Or did he? Mosher leaves it up to the reader to draw their own conclusions after reading The Story of My Heart. One quote from Mosher's introduction struck me ... "if he (Jeffries) went back at all, it was not to ask for the priest or the last Sacrements of the Church. He was satisfied with the words of the great socialist and anti-sacerdotalist (i.e. Jesus)." You don't hear Jesus referred to as "the great socialist" and this will give you an idea of the probable radicalness of Jeffries thought.