La Belle O'Morphi; A Brief Biography

The Golden Cockerel Press, 1947. Fine. François Boucher. 8vo., 8 1/4 x 4 3/4 in. (210 x120 mm), 36 pp. Garamond 11 pt type with Fournier titling, with 12 collotype illustrations after François Boucher, who used O'Morphi often as a model. This is copy 144 of 750 numbered copies, bound in blue and pink cloth, with gilt golden cockerel logo on the front board and gilt lettering on spine. Spine and corners lightly rubbed, internally bright and tightly bound. Small postcard of a classical nude loosely inserted with illegible writing on verso.

[Cockalorum 173]. "A biography of the Irish imp who fascinated Louis XV, and was model to the painter Boucher. That dyspeptic reviewer who fulminates in the columns of a certain literary weekly - I call him 'Mr Small' described this little délice as 'pompous!' Readers of this bibliography will no doubt concede that I am captiously critical of most of my 'cockerels', but I admit that I can find no fault with this little 'coquette'. (Cockalorum would be incomplete without one villain - 'Mr Small'!)"

The GOLDEN COCKEREL PRESS was founded by Harold Midgely Taylor in 1920 with the object of publishing new works of literary significance by young authors and to print and publish fine editions of books of established worth. When Mr. Taylor retired in 1924, it was purchased by Robert Gibbings, known as an illustrator and woodcutter (Tomkinson, p .93) "Golden Cockerel books are amongst the most popular and desirable private press items." (Ransom p. 106).