A History of the Gregynog Press

Private Libraries Association, Pinner, first edition, 1980. Cloth, blindstamped cover device, folio, 28 cm,. xv, 266 pp, plates, ills. An interesting account of one of the great British private presses, together with a 28-page bibliography of the books it produced and a handlist of the ephemera. From the introduction: "The two most outstanding features [ of the Gregynog Press ] are the lack of knowledge or skill on the part of the owners and the fact that all aspects of the books' design and making were carried out under one roof. These alone render the press virtually unique among British private presses of the twentieth century. Books from the Doves, Ashendene, Vale, Golden Cockerel and other presses bear unmistakable marks of ownership, yet no Gregynog book owes its appearance, unless it be a love of illustrated and decorated books in general, to the Davies's who owned the press. Neither of the two sisters had any knowledge of typography or printing. Neither ever set a line of type or pulled a sheet from the press. Gwendoline Davies visited the press but rarely, and then usually to escort visitors, Margaret Davies hardly ever. They knew what they liked and gave approval or otherwise to a staff which kept its distance, to carry out the work in their name. Their role lay in providing substantial sums of money to support the press, in providing accommodation and machinery and, through their intermediary, Dr. Thomas Jones, advice from outside literary and technical experts. The Davies's were extremely wealthy, and no press in this century, with the exception of Count Kessler's Cranach Presse in Weimar, has had such munificence lavished upon it. No expense was spared in terms of time spent or quality of materials to make a book as perfect as they knew how. If setting or presswork did not come up to standard, work began again. Several books were laid aside uncompleted, and, in one instance, a book was completed but never issued because it fell short of the Davies's expectations. It is inconceivable that the means for such care and concern will ever be available again. Small booklabel of Iain Bain on front pastedown endpaper, Near Fine.