Small quarto. xiii, 91 pp. This was the first in a splendid line of Italian books to be printed by Hornby and only the second book of the Press. It is printed in black and red in an unidentified long-primer type which was supplied by Horace Hart, at that time Printer to the Oxford University Press. Colin Franklin quotes letters from Hart, C.H. Daniel, and others in praise of Hornby's sophomore effort, all noting the evenness of the impression despite the "troublesome nature" of Japanese vellum as a printing medium. Written in the vernacular Tuscan, and in the prosimetrum style, the Vita Nuova marks Dante's attempt to reveal the sacred element underlying love poetry in this series of verse, written across several styles, that express the poet's love for Beatrice Portinari.

This copy specially bound by Hannah Brown in full red leather over boards. Brown embroidered the outer covers into a repeating pattern of Art Nouveau florals, reminiscent of those in vogue during Hornby's period, with white and burgundy onlays to add to the effect. The pattern crosses the spine, breaking only for the title, each letter of which is set in its own burgundy droplet. The doublures of continuous red leather feature gilt thread embroidered into the shape of a fleeing Beatrice's dress, its train swirling on the front doublure and the rest floating away from the rear, with only her hand visible as a white onlay. Text block tab-bound. Original front wrapper preserved along with book in oak box, which has its own label of embroidery and stamping on leather. A striking marriage of modern bookbinding artistry, 20th-century book design, and one of the most monumental poems of the Western canon. (Hornby II; see Franklin, The Ashendene Press, pp. 4-8).