Hand and Soul de Rossetti, Dante - 1908

London, 1908. Sangorski, Francis. Small quarto. 18ff + 5 blank leaves and 1 colophon leaf. Francis Sangorki's unique illuminated manuscript takes as its text Rossetti's highly influential short story, "Hand and Soul," which was first published in 1850 in the pre-Raphaelite periodical, The Germ, and which addressed directly the pre-Raphaelite concern with the relationship between creative expression, moral uprightness, and medieval and Classical practice. Sangorski's rich ornamentation - two full-page plus ten smaller miniatures, illuminated borders of acanthus leaves and sprays, and initials both of stippled gilt with blue or red and backgrounds and of interlocking colorful florals against gilt grounds - is a logical and delightful tribute to Rossetti's influence. Spreads for the preface, title page, and epilogue are particularly lush. At the end of the volume is a calligraphed certification leaf, stating that the book, with its binding, was completed for Gannon & Cassidy of New York. Works by Francis Sangorski are particularly uncommon, especially those executed in the handful of years that preceded his untimely death in 1912.

Bound by Sangorski & Sutcliffe in full crushed blue-green morocco. Upper cover bears outer border of inlaid black morocco with gilt rules, within which is a frame of pomegranates and leaves of green and two shades of brown, against a pointillé background. The twenty-one pomegranates each are raised and set with eighteen garnets. Within the frame is a sunken panel showing the title and two flourishes in relief against a background of further pointillé, gold ground leaves, and red morocco dots. The rear cover boasts an astonishing strapwork design of interlocking red, purple, green, black, and brown leathers forming hearts at corners and dividing the panel into four quadrants. Within each quadrants is a matching floral pattern of green morocco with dots in red, divisions in blue, and borders in brown, giving way to outer border of gilt vines and white and pink morocco flowers. At center is a sunken panel of pointillé and gilt vinework, olive and brown strapwork, and edges adorned with twenty total flowers each with four topazes. Spine in six compartments, two with with titling in gilt on inlaid brown leather with black border, and remaining four with elaborate gilt panels. Doublures resemble one another, both with identical strapwork border of multiple leathers, gilt pointillé frame, and swathed pattern of green, cream, and purple leathers giving way to central circular panel of grapevines. At the very center to the upper doublure is Rossetti's monogram; at the lower is his motto. Rules to edges of boards. Faint rubbing to corners, stray gilt loss to border rules, else fine. Housed in silk-lined box, somewhat battered. A.e.g.