Description
Here is a gorgeous and scarce W W Denslow find–a 1884 Four Seasons of Life book with cover art by Denslow and also two full-page color lithographs by Denslow. One of the lithos, captioned “Tis Winter’s Dreary Withering Blast”, showing an old man warming his hands before a fire, is included in the additions/corrections to Greene/Hearn W W Denslow bibliography in the Autumn 1980 Baum Bugle. I discovered three other lithos, representing the four seasons of life, some years ago. They all are copyright 1883 by P. W. Ziegler & Co. Ziegler was a Philly book publisher during the period when Denslow was working there. There were various book printings by publisher P W Ziegler containing one or more season lithos–this one with two inside, as the text includes just work related to Autumn and Winter, with the other seasons available in different versions of the book. All four seasons are included on the cover art, but utilizing only the central portions of the full lithos and reversed horizontally. The winter litho inside is very faintly signed “W D”. Denslow experimented with his signature in early days, and this was one he sometimes used with his partner Woodard. A large, heavy book, and one of the more attractive of the Ziegler variants–with gold and silver gilt cover embellishments and gilt text block edges. Some of the internal B&W art also is reminiscent of Denslow’s work, but is unsigned, while other art is clearly not by Denslow.
Book is in very good condition with a stunning cover and some wear to spine. Front hinge is neatly repaired. Lithos in very good condition with tissue guards intact, Unusual very early work by Denslow!
Photos and description by Wonderful Books of Oz, copyright protected through the DMCA act of 1998.
