Poems. London: T. Fisher Unwin, 1901. Third Edition, Revised. Pages, xiii, 304, with errata slip; uncut. Frontispiece portrait of the author by John B. Yeats. Original blue cloth, richly decorated in gilt, in a binding designed by Althea Gyles. Neat text underlining in pencil throughout with occasional annotations, otherwise a nice bright copy. [Wade 18].

The First Edition was published in 1895, subsequent edition were published with a new preface, to which Yeats had revised and rewrote ‘The Wanderings of Oisin’ and ‘ The Countess Cathleen. Includes on of Yeats’s favourite poems ‘The Lake Isle of Innisfree.’

The binding, is known as the second ‘golden design’ by Althea Gyles. Gyles was an artist and writer who lived an obscure, bohemian and tragic life. Her chief surviving work is the series of covers she designed for the books of W.B. Yeats. Her designs capture the spirit of Yeats’s passion for the occult and for symbolism. Not only is the design inspired, but also the execution is superlative. Copies often retain remarkably bright gilt on well-preserved blue cloth. Gyles also designed covers for ‘The Secret Rose’ and ‘The Wind Among the Reed’s.