Eric Chaim Kline, Bookseller

The Tippler's Vow [Two Unique Copies] Author's copy extra illustrated with 22 original artworks [WITH] 2nd copy with original artwork by Jean Paleologue painted on all four boards of full morocco binding

Fairchild, Lee; Jean Paleologue (ill.)

New York: Croscup & Sterling Co., 1901. Limited First editions. Author's copy extra illustrated with artwork by 22 artists and 26 dry-points in various states [WITH] another copy in painted full morocco binding with original artwork by Jean Paleologue on covers, including inside covers with 26 dry-points in four states, 26 hand-colored by the artisit in water color.

1. The Tippler's Vow: With Twenty-six Original Dry-Points by Jean Paleologue. Printed from type for Subscribers only. [Author's Copy] From a limited edition of fourteen numbered and registered copies, four not for sale, signed by Fairchild and Paleologue on colophon. This copy is unnumbered and out of series. Original blue morocco with elaborate gilt-stamped ruling and decorations on covers, tooling and lettering on spine with five raised bands, and bound by Blackwell. Housed in custom-made full calf slipcase. Top edge gilt with remaining edges untrimmed. Gilt inner dentelles with full red morocco doublures, red silk mounted to free endpapers. Inscribed on first blank page: "This is the author's copy of The Tippler's Vow ... illustrated by his artist-friends who seem to feel that they can draw no likeness of him that will not somehow resemble him" (Lee Fairchild). Followed by one blank leaf and another with a full page ink drawing signed by C. G. Bush on front, and a full page pencil drawing signed by Carlo de Fernaro on verso. Title page with decorative ruling and publisher's device printed in green and red. Full-page watercolor by Jean Paleologue on verso of title page, presumably showing Paleologue as Bacchus chizzeling on a bust of Fairchild. It is inscribed "To my fellow criminal Lee Fairchild, PAL." Dedication page as well as foreword by Lee Fairchild with decorative printed green ruling followed by the complete text of The Tippler's Vow in 25 stanzas. Fairchild states in the forward that he began the work in 1896 and finished in the summer of 1901. The original version of The Tippler's Vow was first published in February 1901 with 17 stanzas and is bound in at rear. Special author's copy containing 22 original sketches, caricatures and drawings in b/w and color by various artists, including J. S. Anderson, C. G. Bush, Gene Carr, Bert Cobb, Fred S. Cozzens, Louis Dalrymple, Carlo de Fernaro, Archie Gunn, Haydon Jones, Albert Levering, C. R. Macauley, George McManus, Jean Paleologue, Florian Peixotto, Jerome Uhl, Clifford Walker, among others. Most of the illustrations are full page, including three full page watercolors, 19 pencil drawings, three of these are mixed media and two are small portraits placed in margins. Additional inscription by Paul Armstrong w/o drawing. There are twenty-six dry-points in multiple states dramatically illustrating the text by Jean Paleologue, all signed in the plate. One of them hand-colored in water colors and signed by the illustrator Walter Hall with three additional states in b/w. All other 25 dry-points are b/w in either two or three states, mostly printed on Japan with fourteen printed on Japan tissue in mats ready for framing. Binding is mildly rubbed. Toning to pages with occasional abrading to foredges. Slipcase rubbed and scuffed.

[WITH]

2. The Tippler's Vow: With Twenty-six Original Dry-Points by Jean Paleologue (PAL). Unique copy in full painted morocco binding with all four boards containing elaborate original artwork. The front and back covers and spine are all one continuous image, signed with engraved initials PAL on back cover. The painting on outside covers and spine depict ( front cover) a nymph with a skull resting in a full glass of wine next to her and a snake curling around the glass and head of nymph; (rear cover) a second skull clad as harlequin with elaborate decorative grapevines as unifying motif. The inside front and back cover contain two separate paintings on leather. Inside front: An original, signed PAL painting depicting a naked nymph with raised wine glass and a bust of the devil smiling on stone pedestal. Inside back: A full glass of red wine with protagonist's head inside and a snake wrapped around glass. This painting by PAL is unsigned. The paintings on inside covers are framed by floral decor and gilt-stamped ruling. Decorative, light green silk mounted to front and back free endpapers. Fully rendered watercolor on half title depicting Bacchus, pouring wine for a naked Nymph, with snake curling around skull at their feet, signed PAL by Jean Paleologue. This edition has been printed from type, and is limited to fourteen numbered and registered copies and is Copy No. 4, one of four that were not for sale, signed by Lee Fairchild and Jean Paleologue on the colophon. Three frontispiece dry-points with tissue guards, one hand-colored in water color. Dedication page as well as foreword by Lee Fairchild with decorative printed green ruling followed by the complete text of The Tippler's Vow in 25 stanzas. The original version of The Tippler's Vow was first published in February 1901 with 17 stanzas and is bound in at rear. Texts with decorative rulings and red and green lettering. All 26 illustrations are complete in four states and signed in the plate. The four states include one personally hand-colored in water color by Jean Paleologue plus three additional states, two of these states on Japan. Each of the 26 second state plates on Japan contain a vignette complementing the image above and are all signed PAL in pencil. All plates with tissue guard. Four page publisher's prospectus laid in. A near fine copy of this ambitious production. Item #40303

Lee Fairchild was one of the foremost orators of his generation in America. His Tippler's Vow with its grim humor, philosophy, wit, and solemn warnings was praised by The New York Times Saturday Review: "The Tippler's Vow is extremely clever. It should go on every Omar shelf." Readers will compare it to the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam though the motives of the two poems are diametrically opposed. (Publishers prospectus) In contrast to the Rubaiyat's paean to wine and its pleasures The Tippler's Vow points out the excesses of alcoholism and the dangers to body and mind from libation. Jean Paleologue, a Romanian born poster artist, painter, and illustrator is a descendent of the Imperial House of the Paleologues, the last Emperors of Byzantium. Paleologue was on the staff of Vanity Fair, a contemporary of Leslie Ward (Spy) and Carlo Pellegrini (Ape). Some of the more important publications of Blackwood & sons were wholly illustrated by him. He gained fame for his pastels in Paris. The Tippler's Vow is a compelling poem in 25 stanzas - each with 4 lines of rhyming verse - emploring the reader to watch for the dangers of exuberant indulgence of wine: "The wine that rims the glass with sparkling eyes / Is but the sun and dew mixed-up in lies." We read of loving women who are too affectionate, of man and minds too shallow in inebriated delusions of grandeur. A lingering suicide, the drowning of the past and the enslavement of the will are the dubious fates we will experience from the wholehearted indulgence of wine. Each stanza is illustrated masterfully with Jean Paleologue's profound interpretation of Fairchild's dramatic visions. Just one more drink? Alas, that just one more Has been how many thousand ones before! I break the glass that holds the crimson blush Of him who first taught man the grape to crush!

Price: $27,500.00