[W.A. Dwiggins] The 91st Psalm

The 91st Psalm: Reprinted from the King James Version—drawn by W. A. Dwiggins. Boston: Alfred Bartlett, 1909. Hand-lettered by Dwiggins and printed in red and black throughout within his full-page ornamental borders, with several decorative initials in red and the Bartlett device (“AB”) at rear. Original quarter green cloth over textured cream boards, cover titled in green. Elizabeth Post Morrow's small bookplate to front pastedown; printed compliments card loosely inserted (“With the compliments of the Xmas season / CHARLES MERCER HALL,” with brief holograph sentiment). Original tissue wrapper present (browned). Very slight wear to corners.

Paul Shaw identifies this volume as one of Dwiggins’ few completely hand-lettered books. Designed and finished in March 1909 and issued later that year--and following a separate version Dwiggins produced for The Heintzemann Press in 1906--it sits in sequence with Bartlett’s The Parable of the Prodigal Son and other early collaborations. 

The laid-in compliments card links this copy to Charles Mercer Hall (1864-1929), Episcopal clergyman and devotional writer (The Life of a Christian, 1907; The Little Valleys, 1912). Given his vocation and publication of short devotional works, Hall likely used this volume as a seasonal presentation to parishioners or friends.