Emblems Engraved on Wood by Eric Gill: Rare Book of the Week

Coming to auction at PBA Galleries later this week is a rare first edition of Emblems Engraved on Wood by Eric Gill.

Featuring six wood engravings by English printer and typeface designer Eric Gill (Ditchling, Sussex
, Douglas Pepler
, 1915
) it comes with the original hand-stitched blue printed wrappers, and is presented in custom Sangorski & Sutcliffe quarter-morocco drop-back box with spine lettered vertically in gilt. It is No. 14 of only 15 copies and signed by Gill.

The woodcut illustrations comprise Dumb-Driven Cattle, Making the Best of It, The Money Bag & The Whip, The Purchaser, The Happy Labourer, and Hoc Signum Vincit, each illustration accompanied by explanatory text. The emblems were engraved for the Devil's Devices or Control versus Service, a book written by Douglas Pepler and published at the Hampshire House Workshops, Hammersmith, London on Saint Thomas' day 1915.

It will go under the hammer as part of Fine Press & Bindings auction on May 28 with an estimate of $5,000-$8,000.