Folio Archives 109: Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathan Swift 1965, 2011 LE, 1950 LEC
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1wcarter
Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World by Lemuel Gulliver - Jonathan Swift
1965 Standard Folio Society Edition
2011 Folio Society Limited Edition
1950 Limited Editions Club publication
Gulliver’s Travels is one of the world’s most famous children’s books, and the first adventure in Lilliput is well known, but it is less well known that there was a second adventure in Brobdignag (land of the giants), a third in Laputa etc. (multiple unusual peoples), and a fourth in Houyhnhnms (the land of horses).
The Folio Society has published these adventures twice, as a standard edition in 1965 (frequently reprinted and rebound in quarter red after 1990 rather than green cloth as shown below), and as a magnificent limited edition in 2011 (now sold out). There was also a 1948 FS edition of only the first two tales. The Limited Editions Club did a fascinating, and very different edition in 1950 that only covered the first two tales.
Folio Society standard edition 1965, reissued in new binding in 1990
This is an unprepossessing publication, typical of the Folio Society output in the 1960s. All four tales are covered in the 262 page book. There is a two page introduction and a very generous 16 tipped-in colour lithographs by Edward Bawden, as well as several maps. It is quarter bound in red cloth with gilt spine title and pattern printed grey paper covers. The slipcase is plain grey and 23.5x15.3cm.
Folio Society limited edition 2011
This is a magnificently beautiful book, with 292 pages and 17 tipped in colour plates, numerous tailpieces, plus a numbered and signed etching by the artist Peter Suart. The endpapers are pattern printed and there are several maps. It is quarter bound in ivory vellum, with vellum cover tips and dark brown paper sides printed with a colour and gilt picture of Gulliver. The spine is titled in 22 carat gold, and the top page edge is gilded. It is housed in a shimmering brown solander box 36x27x6cm. that has a gilt printed maroon paper spine label. It has a ribbon page marker. Only 1000 copies were printed.
Endpapers
Prospectus clipping
Limited Editions Club edition 1950
In my opinion, one of the best books produced by the LEC, mainly because of its unusual two volume design. A huge slipcase 59.5x36x5cm. has slots to house a tiny volume (9.5cm. high, 151 pages) in which Gulliver’s travels in Lilliput are printed in barely legible type, and a huge volume (49cm. high) in which the Brobdignag story appears printed in massively large type. Other than maps, there are no illustrations. There is a lift ribbon to extract the larger volume from the slipcase. The books are each numbered and the limitation was 1500. They are quarter bound in red cloth with gilt titling, and heavy board covers printed with a map of the appropriate country visited by Gulliver. The books are signed by the publisher. My copy’s slipcase has had some rough wear over the last 70 years, but the books are in good condition, with the stippling on the covers in the photos being deliberate.
An index of the other illustrated reviews in the "Folio Archives" series can be viewed here.
1965 Standard Folio Society Edition
2011 Folio Society Limited Edition
1950 Limited Editions Club publication
Gulliver’s Travels is one of the world’s most famous children’s books, and the first adventure in Lilliput is well known, but it is less well known that there was a second adventure in Brobdignag (land of the giants), a third in Laputa etc. (multiple unusual peoples), and a fourth in Houyhnhnms (the land of horses).
The Folio Society has published these adventures twice, as a standard edition in 1965 (frequently reprinted and rebound in quarter red after 1990 rather than green cloth as shown below), and as a magnificent limited edition in 2011 (now sold out). There was also a 1948 FS edition of only the first two tales. The Limited Editions Club did a fascinating, and very different edition in 1950 that only covered the first two tales.
Folio Society standard edition 1965, reissued in new binding in 1990
This is an unprepossessing publication, typical of the Folio Society output in the 1960s. All four tales are covered in the 262 page book. There is a two page introduction and a very generous 16 tipped-in colour lithographs by Edward Bawden, as well as several maps. It is quarter bound in red cloth with gilt spine title and pattern printed grey paper covers. The slipcase is plain grey and 23.5x15.3cm.
Folio Society limited edition 2011
This is a magnificently beautiful book, with 292 pages and 17 tipped in colour plates, numerous tailpieces, plus a numbered and signed etching by the artist Peter Suart. The endpapers are pattern printed and there are several maps. It is quarter bound in ivory vellum, with vellum cover tips and dark brown paper sides printed with a colour and gilt picture of Gulliver. The spine is titled in 22 carat gold, and the top page edge is gilded. It is housed in a shimmering brown solander box 36x27x6cm. that has a gilt printed maroon paper spine label. It has a ribbon page marker. Only 1000 copies were printed.
Endpapers
Prospectus clipping
Limited Editions Club edition 1950
In my opinion, one of the best books produced by the LEC, mainly because of its unusual two volume design. A huge slipcase 59.5x36x5cm. has slots to house a tiny volume (9.5cm. high, 151 pages) in which Gulliver’s travels in Lilliput are printed in barely legible type, and a huge volume (49cm. high) in which the Brobdignag story appears printed in massively large type. Other than maps, there are no illustrations. There is a lift ribbon to extract the larger volume from the slipcase. The books are each numbered and the limitation was 1500. They are quarter bound in red cloth with gilt titling, and heavy board covers printed with a map of the appropriate country visited by Gulliver. The books are signed by the publisher. My copy’s slipcase has had some rough wear over the last 70 years, but the books are in good condition, with the stippling on the covers in the photos being deliberate.
An index of the other illustrated reviews in the "Folio Archives" series can be viewed here.
3wcarter
>2 NLNils:
Nothing has changed at my end. I am using the same photo system I have used for the last 40+ reviews.
May be because there are far more photos than normal, and trying loading them all may overload your phone.
Anyone else having trouble seeing the pics?
Nothing has changed at my end. I am using the same photo system I have used for the last 40+ reviews.
May be because there are far more photos than normal, and trying loading them all may overload your phone.
Anyone else having trouble seeing the pics?
4cronshaw
As a devotee of the earliest Folio Society editions in dustjackets, and since it's one of my favourites of all those, I feel obliged to add mention of the original 1948 Folio Society edition with its magnificent dustjacket. Britain was still experiencing postwar rationing and owing to the significant shortage of paper at the time Charles Ede was able to publish only the first two most familiar and popular sections of the work. It was thus entitled Gulliver's Voyages to Lilliput and Brobdingnag and priced at 15/-. Bound in quarter red cloth over grey marbled boards, the edition of 153 printed pages was illustrated with an impressive one dozen full-page single-sided colour lithographs by Edward Bawden. Oddly, the later 1965 Folio edition of the full Gulliver's Travels that includes the remaining two sections contains only a further four additional colour plate illustrations: it appears that this later edition dropped some of Bawden's original illustrations that appear in the 1948 publication. To my eye, his work for this first edition is more impressive.
Finding this specimen of early Folio design and postwar rationing dressed in a fine dustjacket with no loss or fading is a major FAD challenge. Expect to pay considerably more than fifteen shillings*:
(Image borrowed from the first of five glorious threads by Conte_Mosca covering The Early Years of the Folio Society)
*In 1971 when Britain embraced Europe and currency decimalisation, 15/- became 75p. 15/- in 1948 is equivalent in value to approximately £27 today according to the Bank of England exchange rate calculator.
Finding this specimen of early Folio design and postwar rationing dressed in a fine dustjacket with no loss or fading is a major FAD challenge. Expect to pay considerably more than fifteen shillings*:
(Image borrowed from the first of five glorious threads by Conte_Mosca covering The Early Years of the Folio Society)
*In 1971 when Britain embraced Europe and currency decimalisation, 15/- became 75p. 15/- in 1948 is equivalent in value to approximately £27 today according to the Bank of England exchange rate calculator.
5cronshaw
>2 NLNils:, >3 wcarter: I see all your images perfectly, thanks Warwick. The LEC is magnificent!
6folio_books
>4 cronshaw:
You beat me to it! I love the early dustjackets too and Gulliver is one of my favourites. And I have to agree with you on the LEC publication, though I'm not normally given to praising non-Folio books on FSD.
You beat me to it! I love the early dustjackets too and Gulliver is one of my favourites. And I have to agree with you on the LEC publication, though I'm not normally given to praising non-Folio books on FSD.
7gmurphy
>4 cronshaw:
Well said,Sir.
If I had to list my top 10 non-LE Folios of all time,it would include:
-‘Gulliver’s Voyages..’ (1948)
-‘The School for Scandal’ (1949) (those illustration!)
-‘Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam’ (1955) (small,but perfect).
Ah,the Early Years!
Well said,Sir.
If I had to list my top 10 non-LE Folios of all time,it would include:
-‘Gulliver’s Voyages..’ (1948)
-‘The School for Scandal’ (1949) (those illustration!)
-‘Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam’ (1955) (small,but perfect).
Ah,the Early Years!
8folio_books
>7 gmurphy:
Ah yes, the first folio edition of the Rubáiyat is indeed an under-appreciated gem. The Persian miniatures are exquisite. That said, every edition they've produced has been fabulous, in different ways.
Ah yes, the first folio edition of the Rubáiyat is indeed an under-appreciated gem. The Persian miniatures are exquisite. That said, every edition they've produced has been fabulous, in different ways.
9NLNils
>3 wcarter: Good to know. The pictures now show for me. Probably a bad connection.
10kdweber
I've got 5 different copies of Gulliver’s Travels but none of the ones you've listed. My favorites are the earlier (1929) LEC and the first Heritage Press edition (1940). Some day, if I find it for a good price, I'd like to get the FS LE.
11Kieran_Cowan
The LE is the most beautiful book we own. It's genuinely wonderful.
12NLNils
I signed up for the notification of the binding of the last batch of LE Gulliver’s Travels. This is the day they are ready. The last 36 were bound and are already selling. It’s the only LE currently in print I truly want, but it is just too much money (for me). So, I thought I would let you all know. I regret it already, but hopefully I can live it down with time.
https://www.foliosociety.com/gulliver-s-travels.html
https://www.foliosociety.com/gulliver-s-travels.html
13folio_books
>12 NLNils:
That's very considerate and generous of you, Nils. I'm sure Devotees eager to acquire this highly-regarded LE will appreciate your gesture. If there's anything in the concept of Karma I'm sure that, one day, you will have a copy. Let the scramble begin ...
That's very considerate and generous of you, Nils. I'm sure Devotees eager to acquire this highly-regarded LE will appreciate your gesture. If there's anything in the concept of Karma I'm sure that, one day, you will have a copy. Let the scramble begin ...
14kermaier
>10 kdweber:
Another vote for the HP 1940 edition -- an underappreciated gem.
Another vote for the HP 1940 edition -- an underappreciated gem.
15Conte_Mosca
It is worth noting that the version with the red binding is not the 1965 edition. The 1965 edition was bound in quarter green cloth (as were various reprints between 1966 and 1979). The red cloth binding came with the 1990 reissue, and subsequent reprints between 1992 and 1998.
16NLNils
>12 NLNils: 15 copies left of the LE.
17wcarter
>15 Conte_Mosca:
Thanks for this information.
New binding and reissue now listed in FS complete booklist and initial entry modified.
Thanks for this information.
New binding and reissue now listed in FS complete booklist and initial entry modified.
18bacchus.
>16 NLNils: This is torturing me. I feel committed to the budget even though I never spent so much money on a single book. However my FAD turned on itself and I'm at crossroads on whether one (rather exquisite) book is worth the 10 I could get off my wishlist.
I'm even more anxious whether purchasing Gulliver will put a pause to this madness or further lead me to a path of agony searching for the other books/unicorns in the series.
I'm even more anxious whether purchasing Gulliver will put a pause to this madness or further lead me to a path of agony searching for the other books/unicorns in the series.
19NLNils
>18 bacchus.: I have no interest in the other books in series, but this will become my white whale. At just under €600 delivered I just can’t justify it. That being said, I find the book correctly valued. Peter Suart did such a stupendous job, it’s ridiculous.
13 left...
13 left...
21SebRinelli
>19 NLNils: Absolutely agree (except for the asked priced). I am hoping for a Standard Edition as they did it with Alice.
22Jayked
Don't know if it'll help, but the Fine Bindery has a slide-show of another FS LE in the same series. This ain't how they make standard editions: http://www.finebinding.co.uk/FOLIOSOC/rubai.html#javascript
