[Backwoods Press] Neel, Marvin H. | wood engravings by J. J. Lankes. Weather Sayings

[Backwoods Press] Neel, Marvin H. | wood engravings by J. J. Lankes. Weather Sayings. Ceres, VA: Backwoods Press, 1951. Octavo. [54] pp., frontis, illus. Limited edition, one of 35 copies on Japan vellum from the complete edition of 235 copies. Frontispiece signed by Lankes as with all 35 in this edition. Additionally, signed and dated August 19, 1953 by Neel at the colophon. Spine a trifle sunned, but generally a very nice copy externally. Pencil checkmarks and numbers in the margins throughout; one instance of typographical correction in pencil, leading us to wonder if this may have been a copy marked up by Neel.

A remarkable collaboration, Neel, the Postmaster of Ceres, VA was a printer in his idle hours for the passion of it. And it was a shared approach—an interest "in a craftsmanlike job of printing" for its own sake—that drew Lankes to working with him. They cobbled together the material and took an inordinately long time to finish such a small book, but what a wonderful book, indeed! Lankes scholar, Welford Dunaway Taylor calls this "one of Lankes's signal accomplishments and one of the most desirable examples of his work for collectors," pointing out how well Lankes's woodcuts show in the different color inks, "especially in the Japan vellum edition" (The Woodcut Art of J. J. Lankes, p. 36). And indeed, it appears each of the woodcuts at the head of each month are in a different color. Lankes, J. J. "Marvin H. Neel of Ceres, Virginia, Backwoods Printer," American Artist, 17. June 1953.