The Aardvark Blog

Flaxman the magnificent; Christmas idea; last chance to see
12/12/2015

Every year we purchase thousands of books at Aardvark, and almost all of them have something of interest about them. It may be the author, or the subject, occasionally it is a link to a previous owner. Yet although we purchase many good books, each year there are only truly a few great books that join the inventory. For a book to be great it needs to tick several boxes. The text must be interesting ( this above all), the author must be first rate, and then the book itself needs to be a thing of beauty in its own right. This is a high bar to pass, and when I was called to look in a car boot full of books yesterday, I did not expect that any of them would be able to vault over it.

And indeed most of the books were fine of their type, but not exceptional. True there was a copy of the giant large folio book on Kandinsky with folio sized prints published by Prestel. This is a book I have had before and always enjoy owning ( not withstanding the problem of adequately displaying a book of that size.

But amongst the other titles ( folios and books on mountaineering for the most part ), was one large green landscape leather book. I was immediately intrigued as it was clearly early 19th century or older, but this is not my first rodeo and it could always have been one of the many religious titles published during that period. On opening it however it turned out to be a copy of John Flaxman's book on Dante in the first edition published by Longmans in 1807.

There was not a lot of time to view the book properly however as it was the morning and the shop was busy, so after buying the book I put it aside for a couple of hours and got on with dealing with queries and putting on more of the art books we bought last week. I still have 10 boxes to go and I was anxious to get them on before Christmas.

So it was the afternoon before I picked up the Flaxman again to look at  it. When I did I realised what  a superb book it was. The hand made paper was thick and spotless. The book is devoid of stamps, inscriptions or foxing. The gilding on the page edges and the titles on  the spine are still bright. The binding and hinges are flawless. The tooling on the front and back of the leather is also superbly done as are the raised bands on the spine. I called the oracle to get his opinion on what price I should charge. The oracle was ill in bed and grumpily replied that he didn't think that Flaxman was important and he named a price and then gently put down the phone.

But the more I looked at the book the more I felt that for once  the oracle was wrong. Something about it screamed that it was a thing of beauty. Each engraving was superbly struck, and the engravings of themselves were amongst the best I have seen in the neo-classical genre. The oracles dismissal of Flaxman led me to do a bit of research online and in one of the copies of Benezit that we have in stock. It was Flaxman who was called in to advise on the putative restoration of the Elgin Marbles ( he advised against touching them), and Flaxman also who lobbied for their purchase by the goverment ( thereby ranging him against Richard Payne Knight of Downton - a strange local connection.

If you are visiting the shop in the next week or two, do ask to see the Flaxman and if I still have it I will be delighted to show it to you. It is not often that one is lucky enough to hold a book of such quality.

At this time of year many people are desperate for Christmas ideas, so here are two winners. In our shop we currently have copies of Prestel's Subterranean London by Bradley Garrett in the new expanded edition. A truly fascinating book, which all who live or are interested in our capital should own. My second suggestion is not sadly something that we stock. The Greatest Hits of Tracy Chapman which has been released this year is truly superb. I was listening to it this morning on the way in to work, and I was struck again by what an extraordinary voice she has, and how she occupies her own unique slot somewhere between folk and blues. Buy either of these for yourself or another and you will not regret it.

Finally it is the last chance this weekend to see 'The Light' the exhibition curated by Charles McCartney at Kingsland Church. Some superb works - many of which are still for sale. More perfect Xmas presents.