Together eight volumes, each one of nine special copies, bound for the publisher in full morrocco by Sangorski & Sutcliffe and with a full page original watercolour by Rackham. Raised bands and gilt titles to the spine and gilt ruled borders and decoration to the covers. Top edges gilt, others uncut. Each watercolour is signed by Rackham and each book separately signed under the limitation. Text on hand made paper, with numerous tipped in plates to each volume. A superb set in near fine condition, with the spines uniformly faded and the slightest trace of wear to the spine ends, but overall present very well indeed.

Having established himself as the major force in early twentieth century book illustration, through his work for William Heinemann from 1905, Arthur Rackham moved his allegiance to Harrap in the late 1920s, wooed by George Harrap's enthusiastic vision for the future of what he termed 'The Book Beautiful'. By 1928, Harrap was Rackham's primary publisher and sought to recreate the lavish gift book for the pre-war era. As an artist, Rackham had added small drawings to his presentation inscriptions in his works to family members and friends and for a long time. As his popularity grew, he undertook occasional commissions from buyers of books to embellish their deluxe editions with full page original watercolours. Harrap, seeing this, sought to place the concept on a commercial footing and, starting with The Compleat Angler in 1931, reserved the numbers one to nine (ten in the case of The Compleat Angler) of the deluxe edition to be sumptuously bound by Sangorski & Suttcliffe, described at the time as "Rolls Royce of bookbinding", and each containing a different original watercolour by Rackham. This practice continued for the remaining seven books illustrated by Rackham to be published by Harrap, thus creating "the ultimate gift book for the final major English commissions to Rackham's work." - Richard Riall (A New Bibliography of Arthur Rackham)
It is unclear how these special copies were distributed. It would appear they were designed for rather than presentation, though there is no evidence that they were openly marketed at the time. It is likely that they would have sold to a select group of subscribers. This set was sold individually to the a friend of one of the directors of the Manchester booksellers and publishers, Sherratt & Hughes, a key provincial distributor for Harrap.
The natural scarcity and sumptuousness of books has meant that they seldom appear for sale and the offer of a single owner complete set is, as far as we are aware, unique.

PROVENANCE: Purchased from Sherratt & Hughes (Manchester booksellers and distributors for Harrap); Family descent.

Stock ID: 46809