A BED IN CHELSEA. Edward Bawden's letters to Muriel Rose and others.

First edition. Quarter yellow and orange flecked cloth over Barron & Larcher printed 'Diagnol' fabric design paper covered boards, white title label printed in black to the spine. Set in Miller Display on Munken Pure smooth cream paper. Illustrated in black and white and colour throughout. A fine copy, the binding square and firm, bright and fresh. The contents are clean throughout. Housed in the fine, structurally sound slipcase.

Issued in an edition of 330 copies, 40 of which were reserved for contributors. Initially a friend of Charlotte Epton, who became Mrs Bawden, Muriel Rose developed a friendship with the whole Bawden family. Edward's letters to her, dating back to the 1930s, give us a very good view of his wartime work, of her Little Gallery, and in particular, their shared love of cats. Edward lived in the countryside, two hours by bus from London, but periodically needed to go to town to teach, or for Tate Gallery and other gallery business. Eschewing the use of a telephone until 1960, he wrote to Muriel whenever he needed a bed (in Chelsea). The arrangement was happily reciprocated, with Muriel regularly staying at Brick House, as well as at John Aldridge's house nearby. Gill Clarke has written an introduction setting the letters in context, and her notes on the letters are essential for understanding the detail. During the 1950s, many of Edward's letters to Muriel were illustrated with cats, which are just delightful, and are all reproduced here. A portion of the letters was kept in family hands but I then discovered a larger group at the Crafts Study Centre, in Farnham, Surrey, so it is a happy reunion, covering more than fifty years of Edward's life.