- The Germ : Thoughts Towards Nature in Poetry, Literature and Art. Nos. 1 - 4. [All Published]

London, Aylott & Jones / Dickinson & Co. and Aylott & Jones, 1850. 700 or fewer depending upon the issue. Softcover. Original printed fragile wraps.See comments. A complete run of this extremely scarce Pre-Raphaelite periodical. Issue 1, Title: The Germ : Thoughts Towards Nature In Poetry, Literature and Art. Dated January 1850, with original etching by W. Holman Hunt printed on thick stock inside front cover. Fragile wraps, slightly chipped in upper left and much less so upper right corner, and along the lower edge. Includes. Some chipping to edges. 48 pp. rear cover still attached with advertisements inside the rear cover. Pages unopened. Issue 2, same title as Issue 1. Dated February 1850, with etching by James Collinson on thick stock. Near fine condition pages unopened, pp. 49 to 96. Both covers with the most minimal of chipping. First two issues printed by Aylott & Jones. Issue 3, Title: Art and Poetry : Being Thoughts towards Nature. Conducted principally by Artists. March 1850, printed by Dickinson & Co. and Aylott & Jones. Folded etching by F. Madox Brown inside front cover, pp. 97-144 contents to issue 1 printed inside front of rear cover, which is detached. Pages unopened, chipping to spine with some loss. Issue 4, title is same as issue 3. Printed date May 1850 (lightly hatched in pencil with APRIL written above it) with etching by W.H. Deverell inside front cover. Same printers as issue 3. pp. 145-192. Pages are unopened. The slightest of chipping to covers front cover near perfect. rear cover with damage in middle with tiny folding of tears in middle which could be undone by conservation. All 4 issues have light soiling to covers. Minor small fold to upper right of front cover issue 4. Overall an amazing set of a very fragile publication what was issued for 4 parts, thus this set is complete. Exceedingly rare, with contributions by Dante Gabriel Rossetti, Christina Rossetti (credited under the pseudonym Ellen Alleyn), William Michael Rossetti, Thomas Woolner, James Collinson, William B. Scott, Ford Maddox Brown, Walter H. Deverell, Frederic George Stephens (under the pseudonyms John Seward and Laura Savage), Major Calder Campbell and John Orchard. As described in the auction catalogue of the library of the Late General Brayton Ives in 1915, "First Edition of the rare journal of the pre-Raphaelite brotherhood the members of which were,--William Holman Hunt, John Everett Millais, Dante Gabriel Rossetti, Thomas Woolner, James Collinson, Frederic George Stephens, and W. M. Rossetti, of whom D. G. Rossetti was the leading spirit. The desire to give expression to their feeling of revolt against conventionality in art led to starting The Germ, the first number of which was issued in January, 1850. Three others followed, February, March and April, all under the editorship of W. M. Rossetti. Of the first number 700 copies were printed, of which (between 70 and 200 from combined sources as of 2023) were sold, and a smaller number of the February issue. After the February number Rossetti and his friends felt that the support accorded the magazine did not warrant their carrying it on, but the printers shouldered the responsibility, changing the name to Art and Poetry: being Thoughts towards Nature, and two more numbers were issued, when it died a natural death. Among the famous writings from D. G. Rossetti's pen which appeared for the first time in The Germ were, Hand and Soul, The Blessed Damozel, From the Cliffs--Noon, later called Sea Limits, The Carillon, My Sister's Sleep; from Christina Rossetti, Dream Land, A Pause of Thought; from Coventry Patmore, The Seasons, Stars and Moon, Essay on Macbeth, and others from the various contributors, a detailed list of which will be found in Mr. W. M. Rossetti's preface to the reprint of The Germ." Two finely bound sets, one with associations, sold in 2021 for $14,025 and $9,562 respectively. Last set in original parts sold in 2021 for 10,065 pounds ($14,700) and the wraps were far worse off than the (comparatively) near immaculate covers found on this set. Sotheby's sold a set from the Martin Library in 2016 for $15,150. VG or better .

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