Number Four in the series of Christmas cards printed by the Favil Press for the Poetry bookshop, containing the poem 'The Curate's Christmas Eve' by Monro, and two coloured engravings by Stewart, one entitled 'Decorations'.

Author: 
Harold Monro (1879-1932); Alistair Stewart; The Favil Press; The Poetry Bookshop
Publication details: 
No date [circa 1928]. Printed 'by The Favil Press, 152 Church Street, Kensington, W.8 and published, in collaboration with the printers, by The Poetry Bookshop, 38 Great Russell Street, London, W.C.1.'
£45.00
SKU: 8017

Printed on one side of a piece of paper roughly 46 x 32 cm, folded twice to make a 23 x 16 cm card. Good, on lightly aged and spotted paper. On the front is a small illustration in green and black, roughly 7.5 x 6 cm, showing a picture of a domestic Christmas interior in an ivy-topped frame. Inside the card, on the left-hand page, is Monro's poem, of 18 lines arranged in three stanzas, beginning, 'The Curate and the Spinster sit. | (O gentle drear timidity!)' On the facing page is an illustration, 12.5 cm square, in green, purple, brown and black, showing the curate and spinster drinking tea in a room while seated ifacing one another. The publishing details are on the back of the card, beginning 'THE CHRISTMAS CARDS in this series are designed by artists of today and the verses are composed by poets of our time.', and ending 'This card is known as NUMBER FOUR in the series.' Scarce: no record of this item on COPAC under the title of Monro's poem, or in the list of Favil Press items. The first two cards in this series were published in 1928.