Collection of papers relating to the editing and design by Montague Shaw of Michael Simonow's two books on the Polish artist Zdzislaw Ruszkowski ('Unofficial War Artist' and catalogue raisonné), with correspondence by the artist and photographs.

The collection is in very good condition, containing four items of autograph correspondence from Ruszkowski to Shaw, all signed 'Zdzis'. One: Autograph Letter Signed. Undated. 8vo, 3 pp. Expressing his extreme disappointment with 'the proposed arrangement of the double-page and the suggested treatment of the illustrations. 'Nearly one third of the drawing [sic] is left out and alters the sense of the theme. Each illustration is composed to stress the situation and can't be mutilated at the will to suit the arrangement at the page. The illustrations are the main pretext of the book and they must be presented as they were intended.' The third page carries Ruszkowski's 'suggested relation for the illustration if the book will be of this shape'. Two: Autograph Letter Signed. 25 September 1984. 8vo, 2 pp. Correcting mistakes and making last-minute changes. 'I would be very grateful, if it is not to [sic] late, that at the end of the text when it is written that I remained in Scotland till 1944 if it could be altered to the end of 1943 which is in accordance with the truth. To me it is very important because in 1944 The D. Day started and it looks that I was left as obsolete in Scotland.' Postscript reads 'It is getting cooler but I am still with Cretan sunshine. I don't know how long I will be able to such cheating'. Three. Autograph Letter Signed. Undated. On back of an A3 photocopy of a map, corrected by Ruszkowski, showing his journey across Europe. Begins: 'It is with a great relief I found the proofs of the text readable and unpretentious.' He makes a number of corrections, before listing 'in continuity' the names of all the towns he passed through on a journey from Camp Coetquidan to Lisbon. 'All names of the places with exception of Camp Coetquidan can be found in the big atlas which you have.' Four: Autograph Card Signed. Postmarked 15 September 1984. Apologising for 'misjudging [Shaw's] artistic sense'. The collection also includes: Two prints, both 19.5 x 25 cm, of photographs Ruszkowski and Simonow sitting together, one of them selected for the back of the book's jacket; together with twelve photographs on two contact sheets, from which the two large images were selected. Black and white prints, on photographic paper, of two of the book's illustrations. Photocopy of Ruszkowski's Polish passport, 1940, and of a Portuguese visa from the same year. Copy of Shaw's estimate ('Mechanick Exercises, Design & Print Consultants') for printing 2000 copies of 'Unofficial War Artist', with copy of covering letter (29 October 1984) explaining the figures, and a piece of type carrying the phrase 'Unofficial War Artist Michael Simonow'. Two Autograph Letters Signed (1985 and 1988) to Shaw from Simonow. Copy of letter (30 March 1987; A3, 1 p) from Shaw to Simonow, explaining 'the costing for the production' of the catalogue. Seven items of correspondence regarding UWA from the printers Balding & Mansell, 1983 to 1985, including quotations and accounts, and a long letter (8vo, 2 pp) from the firm's sales director A. Dickinson, apologising for having 'somewhat embarrassed you with the quantity delivered on the above title'. Three letters to Shaw from the book's distributors Element Books Ltd. Photocopies of invoices from the binders Norton Bridge, and a number of order forms for UWA. An invoice for work on the UWA from Photo-graphics, Honiton.