A Complete Set of the Illustrated Aubrey Beardsley Periodical The Savoy

Aubrey Beardsley; Arthur Symons, ed. THE SAVOY. London: Leonard Smithers, January-December 1896. All (8) issues, presented in a custom maroon cloth-covered case with label. The first two issues, published as an illustrated quarterly, are in the original illustrated pink paper-covered boards, and the following six issues, published as an illustrated monthly, are in the original illustrated light blue-green wraps. All with advertisements; volume one with the loosely-inserted Beardsley Christmas card, as issued; volume two with the extra prints of the front covers bound in before ads at the back, as issued, and second issue with Chiswick Press imprint on title page verso. Lasner 103.

Vols. 1-2 10 3/8 x 7 7/8 in.; vols. 3-8 10 1/4 x 7 7/8 in.; case 11 3/8 x 4 3/8 x 9 1/4 in.

Private Collection, Chapel Hill, North Carolina

Aubrey Beardsley and Arthur Symons worked together to create this illustrated literary magazine in direct competition with The Yellow Book which Beardsley helped found in 1894 but was forced to abruptly leave in 1895 after Oscar Wilde's arrest. Beardsley was responsible for the cover and title-page design for all issues of The Savoy, as well as numerous illustrations. Sadly, despite contributions from well-known writers such as W. B. Yeats, the periodical lasted only one year.

Various states of wear; most with toning at edges and spine, light scuffing, and edge wear and bumped corners; pink boards loose with cracking at hinges and separation from text block, as well as typical loss and chipping to paper at spine; paper wraps with occasional chip or tear, a few minor foxing spots, and spines with creasing and wear and paper loss at spine ends; a few with some additional wear including some with partial separation of wraps and nos. 4 and 5 with contents loose in wraps; interiors with typical edge wear, light toning, light scattered foxing, and occasional small stain and offsetting; (2) leaves in no. 2 with tears at margins; case with scuffs, rubbing to extremities, and losses to label; Christmas card with very light creasing and minimal foxing at margins. Overall about good condition.