Lewis, Wyndham

The Sea-Mists of the Winter: A New Year's Greeting from Black Sparrow Press (1981)

Santa Barbara, CA: Black Sparrow Press, 1981. Limited First Edition. An article by (Percy) Wyndham Lewis (1882-1957), the acclaimed, innovative British author, artist & art critic, accompanied by reproductions of several of his early drawings. As stated by the editors at leaf preceding the text, "This article was first published in The Listener for May 10, 1951 and signaled the end of Wyndham Lewis's distinguished career as an art critic and as the outstanding British artist of the twentieth century. In contrast to the mood of this piece the publisher has punctuated the text with reproductions of some of Lewis's early drawings and Vorticist designs. The paper cover of this booklet approximates the color of the cover of Lewis's famous "puce monster," the first issue of his Vorticist journal BLAST published in 1914." The somber "mood" referred to above regards the blindness that had caught up with Wyndham by this time & is the subject of his article- a most-sad fate indeed for a vision-dependent artist & art critic. A superb, exemplary Black Sparrow production, larger hardcover booklet in boards with red-cloth spine. Colophon states: "Printed February 1981 as a / New Year's Greeting for the/ friends of Black Sparrow Press./ 176 numbered copies of this/ edition have been handbound/ in boards." Below this in red ink is the handwritten number 8/176. A must-have for the Black Sparrow completist collector; a very scarce gem among Wyndham rarities. Booklet in very fine condition with only a touch of wear & some tiny bumps, creases to edges & corners of front & rear cover boards; otherwise substantially mint inside & out. Plain black dust jacket (representing Wyndham's career-ending blindness) near-fine with very slight rubbing, faint scratching to front, back covers & spine; a bit of wear & some tiny bumps, creases at/from edges & corners of same & flaps; one short, closed tear from upper right edge of front cover near corner. Very Fine / Near Fine. [Item #6765]

Price: $90.00