Henry Moore Shelter Sketch Book SIGNED First Edition UK 1944 DJ Real Signature
Title: Shelter Sketch Book Author: Henry Moore Published: 1944. Publisher: Editions Poetry London, London First edition/first impression; UK; hardback with dust wrapper (not price-clipped, showing 15'- net); signed, with date & dedication, by the author to front free end-paper, below the printed facsimile signature; covered in clear, removable protective wrapper.
Very Good+ /Very Good+ : a little bumping to head & foot of spine, a few marks to blank verso of some of the prints; dust wrapper has a bit of shelfwear and creasing to edges, wear and rubbing and a bit of chipping to spine, crease and closed tear to rear panel, some scuffing & grubbiness to rear panel. Henry Moore's drawings for the Shelter Sketch Book were originally executed in the early years of WWII, between 1940 and 1942, during which time he made notes and sketches during the nights he spent in different London Underground stations, then used by locals as shelters and underground dormitories during air raids. The sketches were made as studies for Moore's large shelter drawings, which had been commissioned by the War Artists Committee. The 82 drawings were published in book form here, for the first time, by Editions Poetry London. All of the Editions Poetry London first edition copies include a printed/facsimile signature & date on the front free endpaper (" Henry Moore October 1940 ").
Some sellers and cataloguers state the book's publication date as 1940, based upon the date of this facsimile signature & date; some sellers and cataloguers also state that their copy is signed by Henry Moore. Both of these assertions I believe to be incorrect. The book contains sketches made between 1940 and 1942; it was published in 1944; and the signature of Henry Moore (confusingly dated 1940) is a printed/facsimile signature. It appears also that the Editions Poetry London first edition was issued in two variants: one in grey cloth boards, on which the writing "SHELTER SKETCH BOOK" is in upper case; and one in oatmeal/tan boards, on which the writing'Shelter Sketch Book' is in lower case. I know of no precedence between the two variants.
This copy is the former. If anybody reading this far has any information which either contradicts or confirms my assertions in the previous two paragraphs, then please, please do contact me. As, frankly, I have driven myself quite crazy in my attempts to research and correctly ascertain the bibliographical details of this book, and there appears to be a great deal of confused, misleading & simply incorrect information about the book posted online. What sets this copy apart - and I have yet to see another example recorded anywhere of this - is that this one copy has also been signed, below the facsimile signature, by hand, in ink, by Henry Moore with the dedication: " For Polly from Henry October 1945 ". The dedicatee is most likely the British economist and social anthropologist Polly Hill, the niece of John Maynard Keynes, who lived for a period of WWII in Henry Moore's studio.Henry Moore was an English artist, best known for his semi-abstract monumental bronze sculptures which are located around the world as public works of art. As well as sculpture, Moore produced many drawings, and other graphic works on paper.
Born in Yorkshire in 1898, by the late 1940s, Moore was a worldwide celebrity, recognised as the voice of British sculpture, and of British modernism in general. He turned down a knighthood in 1951, though he accepted the Companion of Honour in 1955 and the Order of Merit in 1963. Any questions, please don't hesitate to ask, and please take a look at my other items for rare & collectable books for sale.