SPARE, Austin Osman & Francis Marsden [ AKA Frederick Carter ], Editors.

Form. A Quarterly Journal of the Arts. Vol. 1, No. 1, April 1916, & Vol. 1, No. 2, April 1917 [ Two issues - all published thus ].

London: John Lane, 1916 & 1917. First Edition. Softcovers. 2 Issues. Folios. Issue No. 1: Folio (18 x 11.5 inches) 58pp, Issue No. 2: Folio. (17.5 x 11.25 inches) 48pp. Original decorative printed wrappers. Colour, b&w and duo-tone illustrations. A sumptuous literary and artistic journal, edited by Austin Osman Spare and Francis Marsden. The journal is beautifully printed on quality paper, and comprises poetry and essays, woodcuts, sketches, and lithographs, along with elaborate decorative initials and calligraphy. The first issue includes literary contributions by Walter de la Mare, W.H. Davies, Lady Margaret Sackville, Edmund J. Sullivan, and others and art by Frederick Carter, Frank Brangwyn, T. Sturge Moore. It famously reproduced "Eight Poems" by W. B. Yeats, inadvertently breeching the copyright of Yeats' U.S. publisher, and necessitating a very humble apology from its editors in the magazine's next issue. It also included a large number of contributions by Austin Osman Spare, who provided the design for the full page woodcut of a female nude (p. 1), two large grotesque drawings of satyrs on pp. 4 & 5; two large grotesque drawings of female nudes on pp. 10 & 11; "Holocaust" a massive double page (17" x 22") tinted drawing (pp. 12-13); the four page essay "Automatic Drawing" by Spare and Carter which includes various automatic and other drawings and sigils by Spare (pp. 27-30); "Bacchae" a full page female nude (p. 32), a large skecth (p. 40), and "Nemesis" a massive double page (17" x 22") lithograph (pp. 50-51.) The second issue includes poems by Aldous Huxley, Frederick Carter, W. H. Davies, et al., and art by Frederick Carter, Frank Brangwyn, T. Sturge Moore, and others. Most significantly it includes a full page reproduction from a lithograph of a muscular female nude by Austin Osman Spare, and a magnificent huge (17" x 22") double page print entitled "Allegory" by the same artist. Also two full page advertisements for works of Spare's that were sold or published by the Morland Press. The only two numbers of "Form" produced in this format. What was effectively a separate journal with the same title but with W. H. Davies replacing Francis Marsden as Spare's co-editor emerged in 1921, although it too was shortlived, lasting for only three issues. From the collection of the late Robert (Taylor) Agasucci (aka Stafford Stone), artist, graphic designer, book illustrator and aficionado of the work of Austin Osman Spare. Vol. 1, No. I: wrappers a bit darkened and foxed, edges and spine ends chafed and chipped, short closed tear at fore-edge affecting both covers and pages, pages a bit browned at margins - still a solid VG copy. Vol. 1, No. 2: Wrappers slightly darkened, edges & spine a little chafed and chipped, a bit of very light scattered foxing, otherwise a clean VG+ copy. Overall a VG example of this scarce set, seldom found in better condition. Item #55446

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