ARABIAN NIGHTS -

BULL, RENE. (BULL,RENE)illus. ARABIAN NIGHTS. NY: Dodd Mead, no date circa 1912. Thick 4to (7 3/4 x 10"), blue gilt decorative cloth, pictorial paste-on, 298p. although not a first edition it is a FINE COPY IN THE RARE ORIGINAL DUST WRAPPER (dw with a few archival mends on verso). Illustrated by Bull with 10 magnificent, rich, tipped in color plates on heavy stock (with tissue guards) plus 98 black and whites as well as head-pieces. LAID IN IS AN ORIGINAL WATERCOLOR SIGNED BY BULL PLUS A 2-PAGE HANDWRITTEN LETTER INCORPORATING 3 PEN AND INK DRAWINGS. The watercolor depicts a Turkish looking man in a turban, clothed like a character from the Arabian Nights. The image measures 2" wide x 5 1/8" high on board 5 x 6 1/2", signed "With my love from Rene Bull." There is also a pencil drawing of an Arab man and a dog which has "5 minute sketch - Jack Hassall" on the verso. The chatty letter was written to Jack [John Hassall] who was just home from a trip apparently to Australia with his wife Olivia (Bull writes " I hope you have brought back a boomerang"). It is 2 pages written on both sides of one piece of paper. Incorporated into the letter are 3 finished ink drawings of stereotypical Black natives, one playing a drum with bones and the other two dancing. This is a super item and a beautiful version of these tales (See Peppin: Fantasy p. 116-17).