The Second book of Leo Bensemann’s Work. 1952

Book condition is near fine with only the Dust Jacket showing some dirt. Bindings remain firm. Board covers are pink with white spine on which Author & Printer are named in pink. Portraits are on hardwood paper. Very much a top quality production.

Printed by the Artist at Caxton Press Christchurch. March 1952. He states that his work is exemplified in the book by “20 Drawings in Pen and Pencil together with Six Engravings on Wood and specimens of Calligraphy and Typography with a Grand Piece of German Text, and other selected pieces, never before engraved”

Bensemann’s first published book was named “Fantastica - Thirteen Drawings” published at Caxton in 1937 and this book was Caxton’s first art publication.

Bensemann Joined Caxton Press as a partner in 1938 and stayed with the business until 1978. He contributed to many Caxton publications as designer, typographer, illustrator and printer. He then set up his own publishing house and produced several books under the imprint of “The Huntsbury Press”. Among the Caxton books that included his illustrations were Curnow’s Not in the Narrow Seas (1939), Giovanni Boccaccio’s Nastagio and the Obdurate Lady (1940), the Grimm Brothers’ Adventures of Chanticleer and Partlet (1941), and Coleridge’s Rime of the Ancient Mariner (1952). Images from these works are to be found in this book.

In 1938 he joined “The Group” a collection of mainly Christchurch artists who challenged the conservative art establishment, after being nominated by Rita Angus who became a close friend. See the displayed Book “Bloomsbury South” by Peter Simpson for more detail.