New Mexico Wildflowers; A Suite of Fourteen Linoleum Block Prints

Santa Fe, New Mexico: Press of the Palace of the Governors, 1982. Limited Edition. Wraps. Fine. Hughey, Kirk. One of 100 copies, fourteen separate linocut prints with accompanying booklet, folio size, sixteen leaves, housed in the publisher's box. The Press of the Palace of the Governors "is the longest-running operation of its kind in the state and is today a center for contemporary book-art activities. Printing has played an important role in New Mexico ever since the first press arrived at the Palace of the Governors via the Santa Fe Trail in 1834" (n.b., from the web site of the Press).

This publication brings the artistic talents of Kirk Hughey to the numerous wildflowers to be found in the state; "more than 3,000 species of flowering plants paint New Mexico landscapes in a palette of vibrant hues" (n.b., quote from the web site of New Mexico magazine).

Out of the thousands, Hughey and Phyllis Hughes, the author of the text, selected fourteen: Wild Blue Violet, Sunflower, Gayfeather, Prickly Pear, Wild Iris, Columbine, Blazing Star-Moon Flower, Wild Hollyhock-Globe Mallow, Blackfoot Daisy-Desert Daisy, Devil's Claw-Unicorn Plant, Yucca-Soapweed, Thistle, Purple Nightshade-Bullnettle, and Blue Flax; a separate linocut adorns the cover of the portfolio case.

All fourteen of the separate prints were produced using linoleum blocks and are in full colour. A separate booklet accompanies the portfolio; Hughes authored a short but masterful piece for each flower, giving information such as the plant's botanical name, their Spanish name, a description of the plant, sometimes its history, its uses, and how the plant was used by the native peoples.

Scarce in the marketplace; as of this writing we see no other copies online and no auction records (RBH); our search of OCLC locates nine institutional holdings.

___DESCRIPTION: The fourteen linocuts are printed on Arches Buff paper in colour, each measures approximately 8" by 6" (the sizes vary slightly), and is tipped onto a larger sheet of Canson Mi-Tientes paper (11 7/8" by 9 3/8"), each with its own tissue guard, beneath the linocut is printed the common name for each flower in Goudy Open. Accompanying the prints is the booklet bound in heavy wraps, a small decoration on the front wrap and the title in Goudy Open, the title page is followed by the fourteen pages describing each flower (as set forth above), the final leaf with short bios of the author and artist on the recto, the colophon on the verso; Goudy Open and Centaur types on Mohawk Superfine paper, printed on a 19th Century treadle platen press by Pamela S. Smith, folio size (12" by 9 3/8"), with sixteen leaves (17 printed pages); the colophon has the signatures of the author, the artist, the printer, and the portfolio binder. The cuts and the booklet are encased in the publisher's green sailcloth portfolio case with the linocut mounted to the front, tied with ribbons, bound by Priscilla A. Spitler. Issued in an edition of 100 copies, this no. 28.

___CONDITION: The prints (and their tissue guards) are all fine; the colour of the prints bright and unfaded, the paper clean and without wear, the tissue guards all present and without wear. The booklet is fine overall, clean, the wraps without wear (with only a very shallow crease in the front wrap), the binding tight, the interior clean and bright, and entirely free of prior owner markings. The portfolio case fine overall, clean and without wear, the cut mounted in the front without rubbing or wear; a hint of sunning to the spine, the ribbon ties lightly creased from use, else fine. A lovely and scarce production, overall in fine condition.

___POSTAGE: International customers, please note that additional postage may apply as the standard does not always cover costs; please inquire for details.

___Swan's Fine Books is pleased to be a member of the ABAA, ILAB, and IOBA and we stand behind every book we sell. Please contact us with any questions you may have, we are here to help. (Inventory #: 25020109)