Thomas Gray`s "The Progress of Poesy" - photo 1
Thomas Gray`s "The Progress of Poesy" - photo 2
Thomas Gray`s "The Progress of Poesy" - photo 3
Thomas Gray`s "The Progress of Poesy" - photo 4

Thomas Gray`s "The Progress of Poesy"

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$ 94 500
Auction dateClassic
06.10.2022 12:00UTC -04:00
Auctioneer
CHRISTIE'S
Event location
USA, New York
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ID 813663
Lot 63 | Thomas Gray's "The Progress of Poesy"
Thomas Gray's "The Progress of Poesy"

Alberto Sangorski, 1916

SANGORSKI, Alberto (1862-1932), calligrapher and illuminator. RIVIERE & SONS, binders. GRAY, Thomas (1716-1771). "The Progress of Poesy. A Pindaric Ode." [London], 1916.



“Poetry is thoughts that breathe, and words that burn.”



A gorgeous Sangorski manuscript in an exceptional binding of roses and morning glories, butterflies and bees—executed in finely molded and colored leather relief panels and with mother-of-pearl inlays. The calligraphed certification leaf at the end reads: "This manuscript 'The Progress of Poesy' a poem by Thomas Gray was designed, written out, and illuminated by Alberto Sangorski for Messrs R. Riviere & Son Bookbinders and Booksellers by appointment to his Majesty King George V London. This manuscript will not be duplicated. This manuscript was executed by me,” and is signed by Sangorski.



Quarto (261 x 200mm). Illuminated manuscript on vellum, 11 leaves, plus 3 blank vellum leaves, mounted on guards. Pictorial title with portrait of Gray signed by Sangorski with his monogram, surrounded by a full gilt-floral border in colors incorporating title with illuminated initial T against a gold ground; full-page frontispiece of Greek musicians in the style of Alma-Tadema with similar border; the text of the poem on pp. 5-17 incorporating two additional miniatures also signed with Sangorski’s monogram; 9 large illuminated initials and other ornaments, text leaves with full or partial borders and heightened with gold, the decoration in bright, bold colors of purple, blue and green, mostly in Italian-acanthus style, other smaller initials in red. One leaf contains a biography of Gray.



Full sea-blue morocco relievo binding by Rivière and Son, maroon morocco doublures, dark blue silk flyleaves, all edges gilt. The upper cover with inlaid crimson border panel densely gilt with leaf and floral tools punctuated with dark blue circles, surrounding a large central recessed arabesque-shaped panel, with dark blue inlaid border, containing a blooming rose bush with a bird, bees (with wings of mother-of-pearl inlays), and a butterfly all in finely molded relief of colored and painted leather set against a dotted-gilt ground. The lower cover similarly decorated with large recessed central panel containing morning glory flowers in bloom with their leaves inhabited by a moth, a caterpillar, ladybugs, and bees (with wings of mother-of-pearl inlays) in finely molded relief of colored and painted leather set against a dotted-gilt ground. Spine gilt in six compartments, gilt-lettered in two, a repeated inlaid floral gilt panel in the rest, board edges with double gilt fillets. Doublures of inlaid maroon morocco with inlaid and gilt-ruled geometric interlace design, endleaves of blue watered silk. Stamp-signed on turn-in by Rivière & Son. Full morocco box lined with silk and velvet, metal clasps (cover of box repaired).

Provenance: purchased by Cornelius J. Hauck, 1893-1967, from John G. Kidd & Son, Inc., Cincinnati, 13 December 1945 (bookplate; Cincinnati Museum Center sale, Christie’s New York, 27-28 June 2006, lot 668).

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