High Street

Product Information

Its importance in Ravilious’s oeuvre was assured, and a copy was displayed in the memorial exhibition organised by the Arts Council in 1948. Sir James Richards (1907-92) was editor of the Architectural Review from 1937 to 1971 and architectural correspondent to The Times for over 20 years. From about 1934 some publishers in the UK had experimented with the material as dust jackets over decorated boards. PROVENANCE: Paul S Sharp (1921-1998; Artist and graphic designer; Wakefield School of Arts and Crafts prize plate to front pastedown). Although not a limited edition, only about 2000 copies were ever printed as all the lithographic plates were destroyed during the Blitz.

Much praise should be reserved to Jim Richards for his illuminating and highly detailed descriptions. In this environment there was no reason for a retailer to specialise, hence the diversification noted by Burke, and the accompanying loss of distinctiveness. A close friend of Edward Bawden, he evoked the English landscape, culture and customs in his striking watercolours and ceramic designs. for The story of High Street, after the publisher had observed that the ‘Knife Grinder’ lithograph looked better when printed on the more generously-sized pages of Country Fair (The Country Life Annual, 1938). First edition, sole impression; 8vo; 24 colour lithograph plates and plain wood-engraved title vignette by Eric Ravilious; publisher's pictorial boards, with the 'transmatic' dust jacket and printed card flaps, a superb copy in the rare cellophane dust-jacket with printed paper flaps, cellophane shrunk as usual with front flap separated, nevertheless a stunning copy of a vulnerable book.

Only 2000 copies of the original book were printed before the lithographic plates were destroyed in the London Blitz.

Notoriously hard to find in decent condition, as the publisher's pictorial boards are so fragile, and virtually unknown in its glassine complete with flaps. O’Connor’s my favourite wood engraver of them all,’ wrote the American artist Vance Gerry to John Randle of Matrix twenty years ago.A lovely, captivating, and beautifully-produced facsimile edition of a 1938 volume, with illustrations/lithographs by the incomparable Eric Ravilious. Yet, as Richards makes clear, change was already altering the appearance of the high street when the book was published, and this is confirmed by an observant chronicler of London life in the mid 1930s, Thomas Burke. illustrated, 4to, dark blue cloth, paper title label mounted on upper cover, silver gilt spine title, paper-covered slipcase. This is followed by two illustrated essays, "The Making of High Street" and "High Street at Seventy" by Powers and Russell, respectively. If you need one more excuse to own this book: At the time of publication, only 2000 copies were produced, and sadly the lithographic plates were destroyed during WWII.

And Ravilious seems to have gone out of his way to find some extraordinary examples that celebrated their individuality through the most amazing window displays. In this context the Mainstone Press is pleased to announce the publication of The Story of High Street. Selected items may be purchased early for dispatch from the future date given in their product information.

His enthusiasm for autolithography and children's books - he also launched the famous Puffin Picture Book series - made him the ideal publisher for High Street, although Ravilious also benefited from the invaluable support of the Curwen Press. Seventy years later, almost to the day, the Mainstone Press published what is effectively a facsimile of Ravilious’s now much-coveted last book, along with two twenty-first century commentaries. Hotjar sets this cookie to know whether a user is included in the data sampling defined by the site's pageview limit.

The Maidstone Press reprinted the original images and text for this stunning new edition which includes essays by Alan Powers and James Russell as well as many other illustrations relating to the original book. Hotjar sets this cookie to know whether a user is included in the data sampling defined by the site's daily session limit. Ravilious had initially proposed it to the Golden Cockerel Press, with whom he had previously worked, but they were unable to undertake such an ambitious project whereas Curwen's great interest in the area of lithography saw them subsidise the project.One of the most celebrated - and rarest - British illustrated books of the early twentieth century, High Street combines the stunning lithographic art of Eric Ravilious with eloquent architectural commentary from J. Bristol, United Kingdom I'm an art historian, curator and author with a leaning towards 20th/21st century British art and culture. Eric Ravilious: The Story of High Street was high on the artist’s admirers’ Christmas wish lists last year, despite several other new books about him having been published during 2008 by private presses and trade publishers.