Sonnet addressed to Ian Mudie, 1943 : from Liebestag by John T. Kirtley

Lower Ferntree Gully, Vic. :  John T. Kirtley, c. 1943 . Folio, half-calf over gilt-lettered cloth, pp. [6] plus six blanks, printed letterpress. One of only nine hand-printed copies, numbered and signed by the author and publisher.

John Kirtley (1897-1967) is an important figure in Australian printing having produced the first Australian hand-printed books. Introduced by Philip Lindsay to his brother Jack, Kirtley was a pivotal figure in the establishment of the Fanfrolico Press in England. After he returned to Australia he produced Heemskerck Shoals, then the finest work of hand-printing undertaken in Australia.

Rare, with no copies traced at auction or within the trade.

Four copies recorded in Australian collections (NLA, SLV, SLNSW, SLSA).

References:

not in Arnold & Hay, Bibliography of Australian Literature.

not in Farmer, Private Presses in Australia

Unrecorded by Miller/Macartney.

Provenance :

John Kirtley

gifted to J. K. Moir (with a personalised inscription)

Geoffrey Farmer, his bookplate to front pastedown

Kaz Posney, his bookplate to front pastedown

private collection, Melbourne