The Latest Mosher Books

This weeks brings several gorgeous editions from the Mosher Press of Thomas B. Mosher.

The Belssed Damozel, by Dante Gabriel Rossetti, published by Thomas B. Mosher, 1902.
This small quarto, part of the Miscellaneous Series, is a second edition of Rossetti's famous poem done in the Kelmscott style of William Morris, featuring a photogravure of Alexa Wilding from Rossetti's painting The Blessed Damozel tipped in, Vale Press initials and printed in red and black Golden text of William Morris. This editioin features the original text as it appeared in The Germ of 1850 and the subsequent variations from the Oxford and Cambridge magazine of 1856 and Poems of 1870 and Collected Works of 1886. One of 450 on hand-made Kelmscott paper. Another stunningly beautiful small book from Mosher!

The Road Mender, by Michael Fairless, published by Thomas B. Mosher, 1905.
Part of the Old World Series, The Road Mender, is a first edition, one of 925 copies with ivory cover wraps, yapped edges and printed on hand-made Van Gelder paper. While there is no introduction, The Road Mender appears to be in a similar vein to Richard Jeffries' The Story of My Heart, a semi-autobiographical tale with a religious theme.

Letters of a Portuguese Nun, translated by Edgar Prestage, published by Thomas B. Mosher, 1905.
Part of the Old World Series, the Letters of a Portuguese Nun was an incredibly popular book originally published in the 1700s and running into numerous editions befor languishing into obscurity in the XXth Century. This second edition is an example of the mid-level edition of the Old World Series, featuring blue paper covers with yapped edges, white paper spine and slipcase. A lengthy introduction details the history of the Letters and the background of people involved in the story, the nun and the French soldier she loved, as well as the publishing history in a very detail bibliography. Quite a fascinating book.

The Mosher Books, A List of Books in Belles Lettres Issued in Choice and Limited Editions, 1907.
Another yearly catalogue from the Mosher Press, this one for the 1907 season.

The Poetical Works of Oscar Wilde, published by Thomas B. Mosher, 1908.
There were three Poetical Works of Oscar Wilde issued by Mosher, each one adding to the cannon of Wilde's verse as more poems were authorized for publication. This, the third and final edition of The Poetical Works, includes not only the complete poems of Wilde, a detailed bibliography and facsimile reproductions of the title-pages to the original editions. This edition features a photograph of Wilde from 1892 tipped in and a lenghty introduction by Mosher. A quarto, part of the Miscellaneous series, this is one of 750 copies, printed on hand-made paper, bound in blue covered boards with die stamped plum blossom deisgn created by Wilde in gold. Another gorgeous, detailed book from the Mosher press, showing Mosher's typical dedication to quality and craftsmanship.

Modern Love and Other Poems, by George Meredith, published by Thomas B. Mosher, 1910.
Part of the Old Wolrd Series, this third edition of Meredith's popular verse is one of 925 copies. Meredith's poetry falls somewhere in the vein of Wordsworth and Tennyson, pastoral poetry of a muscular nature. Not at all bad.

Sirenica, by W. Compton Leith, published by Thomas B. Mosher, 1915.
I'm assuming Sirenica is part of the Miscellaneous series as it is a quarto, with blue paper covered boards, die stamped with medallions in gold, ribbed spine, one of 450 copies printed on hand-made paper. A lengthy introduction by William Marion Reedy is featured. Sirenica is a lengthy and fascinating meditation on the legendary syrens who lured sailors to their doom with their song ... or are they really agents of liberation from the staid, placid and ordinary? A book that deserves modern revival.