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103 MANSFIELD, Katherine. In a German Pension. London: Stephen Swift & Co. Ltd, [1911] “to no one else can I talk in the same disembodied way about writing” – virginia woolf First edition, first impression, one of approximately 500 copies only, a lovely example of Mansfield’s scarce first book. This collection of short stories was inspired by her confinement by her mother at Bad Wörishofen in Bavaria following a pregnancy and miscarriage outside of wedlock: “a set of bold stories, some humorous and cynical, some with a strongly feminist slant” ( ODNB ). Octavo. Original green cloth, spine and front board lettered in gilt, blind-stamped book and arrow pattern on front board. Housed in a custom green cloth slipcase. Extremities a little rubbed, edges and preliminary and end matter foxed, a touch of offsetting to endpapers, a very good copy indeed. Light insect damage to slipcase. ¶ Kirkpatrick A1a. £5,000 [161982] 104 MARTÍN DE CÓRDOBA, Fray. Jardín de las nobles donzellas. Medina del Campo: Juan de Espinosa, 1542 a pro-feminist mirror for princes, of great rarity Rare second edition, effectively the only obtainable printing, of this book of advice for Queen Isabel of Spain, a pro-feminist treatise in the mirror-for-princes tradition, which instructed and entertained “with references to the popular contemporary controversy of the battle between the sexes” (Goldberg, p. 126). Fray Martín taught at the University of Salamanca, as well as studying in France. The Jardín was composed in the wake of the power struggle between the factions of Isabel and her brother Alfonso (crowned King Henry IV) and their half-brother
102 MANNING-SANDERS, Ruth. Karn. Richmond: Printed and Published by Leonard and Virginia Woolf at the Hogarth Press, 1922 “the primitive spirit of poetry” First edition, sole impression, one of 200 copies only. It is a fantastical narrative poem evidently distilled from the fairy tales that Manning-Sanders collected throughout her life. The last copy of this book to appear at auction was in 1967. Manning-Sanders (1888–1988) is best known as a prolific children’s writer, folklorist, and anthologist. Her first volume of original poetry, The Pedlar, and Other Poems , was published in 1919, and brought her to the attention of Virginia Woolf, who published her next two books: this work and Martha Wish-You- Ill (1922). She turned her hand to anthologizing fairy tales in the 1960s and 70s, many of which, including A Book of Dragons , A Book of Mermaids , and A Book of Witches , are still in print today. Her poetry was well-regarded, and earned her the praise of Morton Dauwen Zabel, editor-in-chief of Poetry : “Her language, forms, rhythms, characters, and images all refer to the primitive spirit of poetry . . . she has trusted to the accuracy of her historical sense in reviving the true spirit of the early narratives”. She was briefly the protégée of Walter de la Mare, and in 1927 she won the Blindman Prize for The City , published by the Dial Press, with Zabel noting that “a true talent is manifest in this volume”. Octavo. Original moire-textured gold boards, red label printed in black on front cover. Housed in a custom red cloth flat-back box. With 2 pp. advertisements at rear. Spine darkened, extending to rear cover with mark at head, a touch of wear at spine ends and corners, boards bowed. A very good copy indeed, remarkably bright. ¶ Woolmer 23. Morton Dauwen Zabel, “Review: A Prize Poem”, Poetry , vol. 32, no. 6, September 1928. £4,500 [161820]
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King Enrique IV and his supposedly illegitimate “daughter” Juana. Though dedicated to Isabel after Alfonso’s death in 1468, it was not published until 1500 by Juan de Burgos at Vallodolid, at the height of Isabel’s reign and after Fray Martín’s death. This is the only later printing known, which Harriet Goldberg, author of the definitive critical edition, suggests may have been published by Juan de Espinosa in preparation for a commemoration of Isabel’s birth. Written at a time in history when the succession to the Spanish throne could only legitimately be claimed by two young princesses, the Jardín argues not just that women possess all the characteristics necessary to rule successfully, but that specific, traditionally “feminine” traits – compassion, piety, and generosity, for example – are particularly applicable to the role. Emphasizing the relative simplicity of the Jardín’s language, style, and structure, Goldberg notes that “the clarity of style coupled with the richness of allusions made the Jardín a book that was at once easy to read and at the same time sufficiently stimulating” for a general readership beyond Isabel (p. 94). This lucidity was integral to ensuring the moralist treatise’s political message was heard and understood. “After a period of weakness shown by the last two monarchs and the expected dissention among the nobles, Fray Martín’s plea for a strong, active monarchy is certainly a reflection of the specific problems suffered in Spain toward the end of the 15th century . . . [He] made use of existing anti-feminist attitudes,
which stemmed from a variety of sources in 15th-century Spain, in the preparation of an ‘advice to princes’ which happened to be directed to a princess. The Jardín appears to have had two purposes. It was not only necessary to encourage the young princess, Isabel, to develop her talents in a useful way; it was also important to convince the populace that they could expect to be ruled well by a woman” (Goldberg, pp. 105, 125–26). The second printing of the Jardín is notably rare, with WorldCat finding copies at three locations only: Biblioteca nacional de España, British Library, and Bibliothèque Nationale. ISTC locates only a single copy of the first edition, at the Hispanic Society of America, which Goldberg refers to as essentially “unique” (p. 11). No copy of either edition appears in auction records. Small quarto (199 × 138 mm). Late 19th-century red calf by Lortic Frères, spine gilt in compartments, gilt-lettered direct and with gilt motifs in compartments, sides with blind frames, gilt tools at corners, gilt inner dentelles, marbled endpapers, gilt edges. Housed in a slipcase by the same binder. 48 unnumbered ff. including woodcut title page. Woodcut initials, woodcut device on last leaf verso. Gothic types. Clean throughout, with good margins, retaining several uncut lower edges, an excellent copy. ¶ Goldberg 11; Palau 61878. Harriet Goldberg, Jardín de nobles donzellas by Fray Martín de Córdoba: A Critical Edition and Study , 1974. £30,000 [139886]
All items are fully described and photographed at peterharrington.co.uk
LOUDER THAN WORDS
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