The Local. Lithographs by Edward Ardizzone. Text by Maurice Gorham. Royal 8vo, 23cm, pp.51[1] + 15 inserted lithographs, Cassell & Co, Ltd, La Belle Sauvage, London, 1939.
Illustrated with 14 full-page and 1 double-page lithographs, mostly tipped in and with captions in cursive script by the artist. Grey paper-covered boards, titled in red and black on the front, and with a pen drawing (a version of the lithograph on p.8) lettered by the artist. Endpapers a little toned. Very slight loss to head of spine. A very fresh bright copy of this fragile book.
This, the first of Ardizzone's homages to the English pub, was printed by the Curwen Press and can be seen as a companion to Eric Ravilious's 'High Street'. In the successor volume 'Back to the Local' (1947), Maurice Gorham noted that the unsold copies of 'The local' together with its printed sheets and plates 'went up together in the burning of Cassell's premises in Belle sauvage Yard' during World War II bombing.
All of the pubs shown are, I think, in the Maida Vale area where Ardizzone lived.
