KAY

13pp., 12mo. On three bifoliums and a last single leaf. On aged and worn paper. A semi-literate, but spirited epistle. Little is to be discovered concerning the identity of the writer. Addressed to 'My Darling Son' and signed 'good bye, be good, ever yours and yours alone William Kay', but with a few hints that the letter may not in fact be from a father to his son. Kay begins by stating that he is going to fulfil his promise and write 'a long letter'.

All nine are printed on art paper, roughly 18 x 12.5 cm. Tipped in onto 27.5 x 21 cm leaves. The mounts have the title, 'THE GLOOMY THICK WOOD | By Kay Nielsen' and a border surrounding the plate, both printed in olive. The collection is in very good condition, with occasional nicking to the mount. None of the items carry any indication that they have been cancelled or rejected. Providing a fascinating insight into the quality-control process in early twentieth-century book illustration, with most of the items rejected because the colours are slightly off-register.

8vo: [viii] + 265 + [ii] pp. Printers slug on page following 265, followed by a full-page advertisement by Harrison Hall, Philadelphia, and Collins & Co., New York, for 'Wilson's Ornithology', dated 'Philadelphia, July 1832'. In original brown paper boards, with brown cloth spine carrying white printed label. Tight, but in poor condition, with light spotting and damp-staining. Unobtrusive repair to closed tear on reverse of title-leaf. Ownership inscription of Joseph Malcomson (mill owner of Portlaw, County Waterford) to rectos of first four leaves, including title.

On piece of creased and lightly spotted paper roughly 11 x 11 cm. Reads '<...> for half a Century. | Believe that I remain | Dear Barry | Your's faithfully | [signed] Joseph Kay | Charles Barry Esqr. Kt. | &c &c &c'.

Plate size roughly four and a half inches by four and a quarter wide, on paper six inches by five wide. 'Kay fecit' in bottom left-hand corner and date in bottom right. Good clean image on aged paper with some wear to blank border. The figures are identified in pencil at foot as 'McNab, K. McKenzie, Easton [^surgeon in the army] & Stabilini'. They are named as Eiston, Stabilini, McNab and McKenzie' by the National Portrait Gallery.