A History of The Gregynog Press Signed First Edition.<br />

Pinner: Private Libraries Association, 1980. Dedication and signature of the author to front free endpaper ("For Gert With admiration & love, Dorothy". Hardback. [i - viii], ix - xv, [xvi], 1 - 266pp. Publisher's original cloth binding with gilt to spine and blind-stamped device to upper board. No jacket. Unlike many private presses, the owners of Gregynog (Gwendoline and Margaret Davies) had no knowledge of typography or printing. Neither ever set a line of type or pulled a sheet from the press and they rarely visited the press. However, they did know what they liked and gave approval (or otherwise) to a staff which mainly kept its distance. The sisters 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. Though not unique in this respect, the press was unusual in that a great proportion of its books were illustrated works. All but nine of the forty-two published have illustrations, and most of the remainder display decorative initial letters. This aspect no doubt derives form the fact that the Davies's main interest was artistic not literary. One other unique feature is that seven of its books were printed in the Welsh language, one other is bilingual and eleven others, though printed in English, are by Welsh authors or have Welsh connections. Also included is a bibliography of the forty-five books printed at Gregynog. The book is also well-illustrated. Book in near fine condition. Illustrations facing page 80 has some mild discolouration to upper area - presumed to be due to a book mark of some kind being left in the book for an extended period. A small number of pages have a light streak of ink towards the leading edge which is clearly a production fault. The book is otherwise very clean and bright.