The Life of Benvenuto Cellini Hardcover - 1937

Verona, Italy: The Limited Editions Club, 1937. Hardcover. Translated and edited by John Addington Symonds. Introduction by Thomas Craven. Illustrations by Fritz Kredel. Folio. Beige decorative cloth with gilt spine lettering, dust jacket, slipcase. ix, 302pp. Numerous small illustrations. Near fine/very good/very good. Bit of age toning to front pastedown (only); jacket faintly edgeworn, more so to spine, which is age toned; Slipcase a bit edgeworn bvut strong. Tight, lovely copy of this early LEC production -- fourth title in their 8th series. The 16th century Italian artist/goldsmith/sculptor's memoir (completed in 1563 but not published until a couple hundred years later) remains a classic of Renaissance life, wildly entertaining and filled with braggadocia beyond belief. Printed in two-column format, with Kredel's ink-and-wash illustrations as usual a delight. Colophon at rear notes limitation of 1550 copies (this #1132) signed boldly by artist Kredel. Nice to find in both the slipcase AND the dust jacket. Printed and bound by the noted Hans Mardersteig of the Officina Bodoni. Laid in is an undated (early 1930s) 5" X 6½" Autograph Note Signed from the secretary of introducer Thomas Craven sending (not present) Craven's signature for affixing into an admirer's copy of Craven's 1931 book "Men of Art" -- which includes much on Cellini. NEWMAN 86.