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The History Sale 2015
www.adams.ie801
DUN EMER & CUALA PRESS.
A Broadside, compiled and illustrated by JACK YEATS.
A very good set of the first 48 numbers, June 1908 to May 1912, contained in two original Cuala portfolios, lacking ties
(as usual) but with their flaps intact. A clean set with excellent hand colouring and no significant foxing, creasing or soiling.
Each issue comprises four pages (a single folded sheet), limited to 300 copies only. The first issue only was issued by
Dun Emer, later issues by Cuala after the separation from Evelyn Gleeson.
Each Broadside includes one, two or occasionally three hand-coloured illustrations by Jack Yeats on first and second pages,
accompanied by poems and ballads, and usually a single uncoloured illustration on third page with no accompanying text.
The fourth page is always blank. Very occasionally (as for example no. 3) the drawing on p.3 is also hand coloured.
Some of the texts are probably by Jack Yeats himself, using various pen names, others are by his friend John Masefield, James Stephens and others. One can
only imagine the time and labour it cost the artist to prepare the contents of each issue month by month, to organise the printing and to colour (or supervise the
colouring of) 300 copies by hand. The distribution was mainly by post, from Cuala in Dublin.
There have been other short-lived hand coloured periodicals, but for sustained creative effort and dedication, we know of nothing to match Jack Yeats and his
Broadside. A full set would extend to 84 numbers, ending in May 1915, but the later years are particularly difficult to find, as war conditions made publicity and
distribution more difficult.
An excellent part-set of a rare and beautiful work.
As a collection, 48 numbers in two portfolios.
€3000 - €5000
Lot 801