Xmas Ballad for John Kinmont Moir

Lower Ferntree Gully, Vic. :  John T. Kirtley, 1951 . Folio, unbound sheets as issued, pp. [4] plus four blanks, printed letterpress. One of only eight hand-printed copies, numbered and signed by the author and printer. Inscribed on preliminary blank ‘Keith. From John. Felicitations 1951 / 1952. No 5 / 8’.

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.

Five copies recorded in Australian collections (State Library of Victoria, State Library of New South Wales, State Library of Queensland, State Library of South Australia, Macquarie University), leaving three copies remaining in private hands.

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 Keith Wingrove

private collection, Melbourne