The Iron Door

Edwin John Dove Pratt (1883-1964) was one of Canada's most notable and unique poets of the twentieth century. Born in Newfoundland, he studied philosophy, psychology, and theology at the University of Toronto, and was ultimately appointed to the English Department of Victoria College at the University of Toronto, the library of which bears his name. Much of his poetry reflected his Newfoundland origins, if not explicitly, then in his frequent treatments of maritime and nautical themes. Other topics addressed in his poetry included science and technology and socio-economic concerns.

The Iron Door is perhaps something of a departure from his other works, and more philosophically inclined. Inspired by a dream prompted by the death of his mother, the poem is concerned with an iron door set in a cliff face that separates this world from the one waiting after death, and how various people come to be before it, and their various reactions to it. One thousand copies of the work were printed, and it was illustrated by noted Canadian illustrator Thoreau MacDonald (1901-1989), the son of J.E.H. MacDonald, one of the founding members of the Group of Seven. Its dust jacket was designed by E.R. Arthur.

This particular edition is signed and may be rated as Very Good. There is some slight loosening to the binding between quires in one section, but otherwise the binding is tight, and the dust jacket may be described as being Near Fine. It also has a small stamp from a previous bookseller on the front flyleaf, WM. Tyrrell & Co., Toronto, referring to the bookstore of William Tyrrell. This in and of itself is an interesting piece of Canadian book history, as William Tyrrell opened his bookstore in around 1894 on King St. East in Toronto, near Yonge, before moving to 820 Yonge St. The shop was bought out by the British chain of book retailers, W.H. Smith in 1958. All around a fascinating piece of Canadian literary and book history.