ASHENDENE PRESS. CHAUCER, Geoffrey. ~ The Prologue to the Canterbury Tales.
Reproductions (zincotypes) of 12 woodcuts in Caxton's Chaucer. No. 50 of only 50 copies, numbered, signed and dated by CH StJohn Hornby in ink. Printed in Fell English on Batchelor handmade Ashendene paper. Sm. 4to., a very handsome copy in the original green printed wrappers with the title printed in remarkable spaced out letters in the black frame on the upper cover and with the press mark and imprint on the lower, unopened and uncut. An extremely good, crisp copy, wrapper with a 2 inch straight closed tear along the upper joint, a little mild creasing but generally good,, housed in a green cloth clamshell box with green morocco and gilt label to the upper cover.
Franklin describes the design of the title page of evenly spaced letters within a border as being "like stars in the night". This, the ninth book from the press, was a real departure in terms of design and being the first illustrated Ashendene Press book. It is also the first book in which the name of Hornby's future wife, Cicely Barclay, appears. They were married on January 19th 1898, the book having being completed on the 8th.
The book won a red First Prize awarded at the Oxford Arts & Crafts Exhibition held at the Town Hall in May 1898..