Hoare, Prince. Blake, William.

An Inquiry into the Requisite Cultivation and Present State of the Arts of Design in England.

1806. London: Richard Phillips, 1806.

8vo, xxiv, 270, ii (publisher’s booklist)pp., with Blake’s engraved frontispiece of Sir Joshua Reynolds design “The Graphic Muse.” Original blue-grey boards, spine slightly darkened and worn at edges.

§ First edition, a very scarce book, especially in boards. With the bookplates of Gilbert Redgrave and George Goyder; there are also signatures of Sir Edward Hoare, an early owner, on the title page and other pages. Bentley, Blake Books 474. Essick, William Blake's Commercial Book Illustrations, XLVIII. Item #108751

Price: $2,750.00