London: Various, 1900. 50 books and pamphlets from the personal library of the furniture designer and high-end London shop-keeper Sir Ambrose Heal which reflect his love for the Arts and Crafts movement and his passion as a pioneer and champion of design. The collection reveals Heal's connections with many of the leading figures of the time with inscribed copies from his fellow furniture designer Hamilton Smith, review copies of works by William Lethaby and his own copies of early publications by the Designs and Industries Committee which he had helped found. There are polemics by Clough Williams Ellis as well as obscure exhibition catalogues and reports (several unrecorded) from organisations that he supported and helped to run. Altogether a fascinating insight into the life of an influential taste-maker and businessman in England in the first half of the century who ran Heal and Son on Tottenham Court Road for 40 years and played an active role in cultural life in London and further afield. The collection includes: BOOKS 1 'The Caliph's Design, Architects ! Where is Your Vortex?' by Wyndham Lewis. First edition. First Impression. Scarce one of only 1000 copies produced. A printed label to the front cover. Original blue marbled wrappers over card worn away to spine panel. Internally in very good condition. Published by The Egoist Ltd. 2019. Laid in is a printed invitation from the Royal Society of British Artists requesting the company of Mr A Heal dated March 29th 1930. 2 GIFT TO HEAL FROM A FURNITURE DESIGNER 'The People's Album of London Statues'. Described by Osbert Sitwell. Drawn by Nina Hammett. Published by Duckworth, London 1928. Ambrose Heal book plate to front paste down. Hand written pencil note to front free end paper reads 'Given to me by Hamilton Smith Christmas 1928' - Hamilton Temple Smith was a fellow furniture designer with whom Heal shared a patent. Brown cloth boards with decorative embossing to front in good condition. Contains black and white illustrations throughout. Clean pages and illustrations with light tanning and mild foxing. 3 'England and the Octopus' by Clough Williams Ellis. 1928. Boards and internally in good condition. All that remains of dust jacket is front cover which has been excised neatly and laid in. An influential polemic against urban sprawl. 'Heal' inscribed in pencil to front paste down. 4 'Britain Must Rebuild A Policy for Regional Planning' by Frank Pick. Published by Kegan Paul. In good condition. 'Ambrose Heal' written in pencil across front board. Front free end paper inscribed 'Ambrose Heal Nov '41'. 5 GIFT TO HEAL 'Henry Irving'. The Vellum Parchment Shilling Series. No III. Published by Field & Tuer. By William Archer. In good condition. Annotated 'HH from C.C.B. '92'. 6 'Guinevere' by Alfred Lord Tennyson. Illustrated by Byam Shaw. Published by TC & EC Jack. Pocket book. Inlaid decorative gift card reads 'From Philip Carr, To Mr Ambrose Heal'. 7 'Cosmic Vision' by TJ Cobden Sanderson. First Edition 1922. Blue cloth covered boards a little worn to edges, end papers and text clean. b/w frontispiece protected by dust sheet, in very good condition overall throughout. 8 'Lettering in Ornament' by Lewis F Day. First Edition 1902. Good copy in the original title-blocked cloth. 218 pp. 9 'William Richard Lethaby 1857-1931'. Published by Central School of Arts and Crafts 1957. First Edition. Hardcover. Boards a little discoloured. Text block sound, overall in good condition. 86 pp. Laid in is a compliments slip from the Principal of London County Council. 10 REVIEW COPY 'Art and Handicraft' by John D Sedding. First Edition 1893. Green cloth covered boards with gold titles. Edges and spine sunned /darkened but in very sound condition. End papers clean, some foxing, text clean throughout. Inlaid is a printed note from Kegan Paul, Trench, Trubner & Co. To the reverse is a faint pencil drawn sketch of a building with tree in foreground. 11 'Handicrafts and Reconstruction. Notes by Members of the Arts & Crafts Exhibition Society'. Published for John Hogg. 1919. 139 pp. Original green cloth boards frayed to edges. Internally in good condition, leaves age toned throughout. 12 'The Attribute Proper to Art: Pure Art Value' by Thomas Henry Lyon M.A. Brown card wrappers in good condition. Front free end paper inscribed 'Ambrose Heal from J H Lyons. April 20th 1932', presumably a family member related to the Cambridge architect and designer Thomas henry Lyon. PAMPHLETS AND BOOKLETS DESIGN & INDUSTRIES JOURNAL: Heal co-founded the Design and Industries Association which aimed to encourage greater design values within industrial production. 15x DIA journals, news sheets and lecture booklets dated variously between 1919 1927. Includes Booklet Number One, 'The Future Of Industrial Design' by Herbert Read with other contributions by Anthony Bertram and John Grey and William Lethaby's Art and Workmanship - all very scarce. Laid in is an overdue subscription reminder payable to The Design & Industries Association dated July 1925 made out in hand to Mr Ambrose Heal who in 1915 had helped to found the Association (DIA) 2 'A Note Regarding Script Types' by Douglas C McMurtie. Published by Press of Ars Typographica, New York, 1925.32 pp. In very good condition throughout. Ambrose Heal book plate to inner front wrapper. 3 Annual Reports of the Committee of the Art-Workers' Guild dated 1926, 1929 & 1935. In very good condition. 4 3x pamphlets published by The Civic Arts Association dated 1927. Titled 'On Medals, On Inscriptions, Lest We Forget'. In good condition. 5 'The Future of the Past by John Leighton'. Programme for a production dated AWG Revels 1924. Card wrappers darkened and bumped to edges, Text clean and unmarked. Catalogue for a production of 'The Statue of Artemis' signed 'with compliments from John Leighton'. Card wrappers. In fair condition. 6 2x pamphlets titled 'The History of Writing' from The Ideal Home Exhibition Olympia 1934. In good condition. 7 Oxford Copy Books x2 unused. 8 Mermaid Society 1903 programme for a production of 'Comus'. Card wrappers bound by orange string to spine. Age worn, leaves foxed, overall in good condition. Unrecorded programme for a performance in Regent's Park which included Mrs Beerbohm Tree in the cast. 9 Der Zwiebelfisch x2 dated 1909. In good conditiom. 1 x Kultur des handwerks Dec 1926. 10 'Undescribed Copy Books in the Ekstrom Collection, Svenska Skolmuseet, Stockholm' by Carl Bjorkbom. Inscribed to front ' With compliments from the author'. Inlaid is a signed letter to Mr Heal from Carl Bjorkbom. 11 The Statue of Artemis, Shrovetide Revels, Art Workers' Guild, 1919, inscribed 'With Compliments John Leighton' - Master of the Art Workers' Guild. 12 Catalogue of a Book Exhibition at the Central School, LCC, 1912, elaborately annotated by Heal to the rear. A further collection of pamphlets which include exhibitions, members lists (Imperial Arts League, 1915, listing Heal's membership) annual reports and catalogue lists for various societies and arts organisations. Please contact Christian White Rare Books Ltd for more information or images of this item 1900
