an *
ALBEDO SAMJORSKI
ILLIMIEATED MANUSCRIPT OF
"AN ELEGY WRITTEN m A COUNTRY
CHURCH YARD*
IHOMAS GRAY
(P
RARE BOOKS
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FIRST EDITIONS
50 CAST 50th STREET
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PLAZA 5.2667-8
MANUSCRIPTS •
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FINE. BINDINGS
NEW YORK 22, N. Y.
CABLE • INMANBOOKS, N. Y.
:
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MANUSCRIPT ON VELLUM. Thomas Gray. Illuminated Manuscript on
Vellum entitled ITAn Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard",
together with a full biography of the Poet. Engrossed in a highly
decorative manner on 14 leaves of vellum, and enhanced with 3 full
page Miniatures and 17 smaller, illuminated pages initials and
elaborate borders by Alberto Sangorski. The leaves measure 11 by
7 inches with protecting leaves of heavy white silk moire. Imp. 4to,
full blue crushed levant, gilt edges, bound at the Oxford University
Press. In a blue morocco moire-silk lined case. (London, c. 1931).
A MANUSCRIPT BY ALBERT0 SANGORSKI THAT RIVALS THOSE OF THE FIFTEENTH
AND SIXTEENTH CENTURIES.
The front cover is elaborately tooled and inlaid with a floral design in each corner, with a center flower inlaid in citron morocco.
In the center of each flower is set a diamond. In the center of
the front cover is a sunken gold medallion with the initials T.G.
studded with approximately 22 diamonds, the initials are surrounded
by a ring of approximately 30 diamonds. All of these decorations
are sunken into a heart shaped medallion surrounded by an all-over
elaborate floral pattern, each flower inlaid with citron morocco,
and intricately dotted: a diamond in the center of each flower, 12
in number. There are approximately 70 diamonds in all. The spine
is elaborately tooled in gold with an all-over floral pattern.
Four panels have center flowers inlaid in citron morocco dotted through
out. Inside dentilles inlaid with citron morocco flowers in each
corner. There are 2& inlaid flowers in all. Doublures and flyleaves of white silk moire, leather joints.
III
|f
THE MANUSCRIPT IS A RARE AND UNIQUE SPECIMEN WHICH HAS NEVER BEEN
DUPLICATED. A statement to this effect is contained in the book
and signed by Alberto Sangorski. The title-page is a Masterpiece
of Decorative Work in conjunction with MINIATURE PAINTING, and has
as its center a picture of the "Country Churchyard" surrounded by
a chisled gold oval border with an intricate floral pattern in
various colors and both liquid and burnished gold. The second miniature has as its center an admirable portrait of Thomas Gray
surrounded by a chisled gold oval border with a grolieresque pattern and an intricate floral design in various colors, also decorated with liquid and burnished gold. The third full page miniature
being a Symbolical female figure bending over an urn with the name
of Thomas Gray, surrounded by a chisled gold border and a floral
pattern.
EDWARD & SONS, LTD. GLASGOW
EXCERPT OF LETTER PROM ALBERTO SMGORSKI
My Manuscript, Thomas &rayb*Elegy11
is now finished
and have had it bound in
i>
a beautiful cover, it is covered in Blue
Morocco with / the front side tooled only;
with Yellow Flowers and solid Gold Leaves,
each Flower having a diamond set in the
centre and in a sunk panel there is a
circlet of 28 Diamonds enclosing a Diamond
Monogram T.G. the whole making a very
beautiful yet subdued binding for the
character of the Book.
It is a most attractive and irresistible
«
work, full of 20 extremely fine painted
Miniatures throughout the Book, there is
also a full biography of the Poet together
with a portrait of his friend Horace Walpole,
also a picture of the Sarcophagus found in an
adjoining field to the church-yard at Stoke
Pogis, also a picture of the famous Ohurch
and church-yard, the last Miniature being a
symbolical female figure bending over an urn
with the name of Thomas &ray.
ALBJSRTO SANGQRSKI (1862-1932)
Father - Felix Sangorski. Born in Cracow, Poland, 1#23«
Served with distinction in the Austrian Army, 1&60. A
linguist, spoke six languages fluently. Travelled extensively in Europe and U.S.A* Became a nationalized citizen
of the U.S.A. Mother - nee Clark. Born in South East
London*
ALBERTO - The eldest son of six children was born in November, 1862, in Bloomsbury, London 0 He showed promise early
in life as a painter and also had a leaning towards becoming
a Priest in the Roman Catholic Church, but circumstances intervened and he eventually became secretary to a firm of
goldsmiths in the City of London. In his spare time besides
painting, he enjoyed singing and was a baritone for many
years in the choir of the Italian church in Hatton Garden.
He was also a keen numismatist and became an expert judge,
especially of early Greek coins. He was a good os>nversationalist and altogether a man of a distinguished personality.
In 1901 Alberto T s youngest brother, Francis, together
with George Sutcliffe, both students at the London County
Council Central School of Arts and Crafts, started in business as Bookbinders in an attic room at No. 5j Bloomsbury
Square. Alberto was a frequent, visitor and helped the young
firm with their account book-keeping in his spare time. In
the course of their business at times, there came a need for
good penmanship and to meet this need, Francis became a student again at the Central School in the evening class for
writing and illuminating under Mr Edward Johnston.
In the course of his training in the class and in his
spare time, some Essays and Poems were written out, decorated
and bound in the workshop, forming the forerunners of a long
line of illuminated Manuscripts, each getting more ambitious
as time went on.
In the early days, about 1905, Alberto was attracted by
this work and after receiving a little technical training
from his brother upon the cutting of the quill pen, the
manipulation of gold leaf for embellishment, the rudiments
of formal hand lettering as taught in the class, and some
hints on design, he, forty-three years of age, settled down
seriously to making writing and illuminating his sole vocation for the rest of his life. He was an enthusiastic worker.
All waking hours were working hours to be spent in his studio,
at the Museums, in showing his latest achievements or planning
new ones with his customers and friends. Ke devoted his time
Alberto Sangorski.
(Page 2)
to writing out and illuminating to the very highest degree, the work of uhe great masters of the English
language in poetry and prose* Several of his manuscripts
were exhibited at che Leipzig Exhibition of 1914. He
executed and presented an exquisite manuscript of "Alice"
in miniature for the *4ueen f s Doll's House, now at
Windsor Castle. One of his greatest achievements was
an illuminated manuscript of Omar Khayyam, which went
dov»n in the Titanic disaster,
His death x/ook place at his home in London, Novem*te was married and had a son and daughter*
ber 13th, 193^
His son was killed in the i*'irst world VJar*
fji Jy! •<•}•»
r
JJTki* numn*mpr- ^] -;-'j
i.-.:
)ilOIUU-Oc<' Viui.
* nau«CTipr vin nor Iw taqriirarrt.
GRAY, THOMAS
AN ELEGY WRITTEN IN A COUNTRY CHURCHYARD
London
1931
Magnificent illuminated manuscript written on 25 vellu
m pages,
each page protected by white moire silk guard and illustr
ated
by superbly executed water colors. All by Alberto Sang
orski,
London, 1931.
Binding of Blue Levant, Gilt, and set with 72 diamonds,
some of
them forming T. G. Monogram set in gold. Blue Levan
d and
Gold dentelles. Back of covers and fly leaves, white mo
ire silk.
In full blue morocco case lined, with white moire silk
and white
velvet by Oxford University Press.
Purchased
12-16-53
Maurice Inman, New York BLKH/HH