The Defense of Gracchus Babeuf Before the High Court of Vendome by John Anthony Scott - GEHENNA PRESS 1964

The Defense of Gracchus Babeuf Before the High Court of Vendome by John Anthony Scott - GEHENNA PRESS 1964

A PICTORIAL REVIEW

LIMITED EDITION
No. 111 of 300 copies
Etched frontispiece and 20 etched portrait plates of fellow revolutionaries and French philosophers by Thomas Cornell laid in, who has signed the book and each etching.
Title of most etchings blind stamped at foot of portrait.
Twelve page essay on Babeuf By John Anthony Scott.
Nine pages of biographical notes.
Six quires of initially uncut and unopened quartos in twos, one of each pair inserted into the fold of the other.
Signatures unsewn.
Pages interleaved with 20 signed loose etchings printed by Emiliano Sorini in New York.
Designed and produced by Leonard Baskin.
Letterpress printed with a deep tactile bite in Baskerville type on linen Nideggen laid paper moldmade in Germany.
Pressman Harold McGrath.
Ragged page edges.
Orange press mark colophon signed by Thomas Cornell.
Signatures and etchings laid in in dark blue goat skin leather chemise with gilt spine title.
Brown cloth-covered clamshell case quarter bound in black leather, title blocked in gilt on spine.
84 Pages
33.8x23.8cm.
US$350

Account of the Trial of an Important French revolutionary and socialist martyr Babeuf, Gracchus (1760-1797), who was executed for his role in the Conspiracy of Equals to overthrow the Directoire. Gahenna's fine-press volume about Babeuf's trial contains English translations of selections from Babeuf's defense and his last words to the court, which were addressed to his children.











































































An index of the other illustrated reviews in the this series can be viewed here.

That Harold McGrath was the printer is all you really need to know about this book.

I see you opted for the navy blue leather binding rather than the tan one. Me too. It seemed somehow more fitting for a book about revolutionary France.

Absolutely magnificent volume!

Beautiful book! Looks like there's one relatively affordable copy on eBay right now (no affiliation with the seller) in case anyone is tempted.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/125633795263

>5 ExLibrisDavid:
Hmmm. Interesting. No number and different signature on colophon page compared to mine above.

>5 ExLibrisDavid: Gone gone gone.

>6 wcarter: Well spotted! I hadn't noticed that. Perhaps it was a test article the press made?

>8 ExLibrisDavid:

Contributor copy?

>1 wcarter: by the way, I noticed we are neighbours: I have copy C112. I bought my copy directly from the new-old stock held by the window of Thomas Cornell and assume the C somehow denotes this association.

>10 ubiquitousuk:
I also bought direct from the press.