[Gaskin, Arthur] Good King Wenceslas

Birmingham: Cornish Brothers, 1895. First Edition. First Edition. Original publisher' blue-gray paper covered boards with cover illustration and lettering in black. One of only 125 copies printed. Five full-page illustrations, and one fully decorated border design surrounding a poem, with header illustration, all by Arthur Gaskin, noted 1890's illustrator, painter and and designer, and member of the Birmingham Group of artists. Gaskin produced woodcut illustrations for William Morris' Kelmscott press, the latter supplying a full-page introduction to this work, saying "...I cannot help saying [the pictures] have given me very much pleasure, both as achievements in themselves and as giving hopes of a turn towards the ornamental side of illustration, which is most desirable." A very good copy, often seen much worse, with slight paper loss to spine, slight cover soiling, near fine internally, hinges in tact, very clean. Quite scarce.