Cranford by Mrs Gaskell signed by Joan Hassall, first Hassall edition 1940

An association copy, Inscribed by Joan Hassall to Dr Phillis Cunnington, whose costume collection she used in preparing the illustrations.

Gaskell, Elizabeth (1810-1865); Hassall, Joan (1906-1988) Cranford. London: George G. Harrap & Co. Ltd., 1940.

First Hassall illustrated edition. Association copy, inscribed on the half-title "To Dr Phyllis Cunnington / from Joan Hassall / 1940", and additionally signed by Hassall beneath the illustrated title-page. Octavo, 256 pages, illustrated with wood engravings throughout. Original pale blue cloth, decorated and lettered in blue, with patterned endpapers and the original illustrated dust jacket, retaining the price of 10/6 net. Book and jacket about very good: slight lean and minor handling wear to the book, with scattered foxing to the preliminary leaves; jacket spine browned, with small chips to the spine ends and corner tips and minor edge wear. The date "1853", denoting the novel's first publication in book form, added in ink beside the half-title.

A presentation copy with a direct connection to the production of Hassall's illustrations. Dr Phillis Emily Cunnington (1887-1974), whose first name Hassall here spells "Phyllis", was a medical practitioner, costume collector and historian. She and her husband, Dr Cecil Willett Cunnington, assembled an extensive collection of historic dress. In preparing her illustrations for Cranford, Hassall made drawings of a friend wearing period costumes from their collection, enabling her to study the clothing of Gaskell's characters from original garments. The collection was subsequently acquired by Manchester Art Gallery in 1947 and formed the foundation of its Gallery of Costume at Platt Hall.

Hassall's detailed wood engravings extend to the pictorial title-page, binding, jacket design and throughout the text. A publication-year presentation to one of the collectors whose resources contributed directly to the artist's interpretation of the novel.