Sulkhan Orbeliani
The Book of Wisdom and Lies, 1894
Hammersmith: Kelmscott Press
One of 250 copies.
329
Further images
Octavo. 256pp. The text is a group of Georgian tales written in the eighteenth century by Sulkhan-Saba Orbeliani, and translated, with an introduction and notes, by Oliver Wardrop. The title...
Octavo. 256pp. The text is a group of Georgian tales written in the eighteenth century by Sulkhan-Saba Orbeliani, and translated, with an introduction and notes, by Oliver Wardrop. The title indicates "the double purpose of instructing by moral teaching, and amusing with fiction. There are not a few fairy tales, many dealing with sorcery, but the majority are satirical or didactic." In Golden Type, with six-line, white-line and foliate initials, specially designed by William Morris. The title is in intricate white-on-black interlace, with the arms of Georgia, consisting of the Holy Coat, in a panel below, and a wide grapevine interlace borders the title and first text page. Footnotes, chapter titles, and shoulder notes are printed in red. This is one of only five Kelmscott books of which there were no copies printed on vellum. Extremely fine in limp vellum with gold titling, housed in custom cloth folding case. Bookplate.