David Mason Fine and Rare Books

(BROWNING, Elizabeth Barrett). Sonnets from the Portuguese. Bath: George Bayntun, 1922. One of 1000 unnumbered copies on hand-made paper, with wood-engraved frontispiece and 12 full-page illustrations by Louise Gaston. Tall slim square octavo, full contemporary full brown morocco, raised bands, inner dentelles gilt, all edges gilt by Bayntun, (4), 44pp. A fine copy of these 44 love sonnets by Elizabeth Barrett Browning with lovely illustrations by Gaston.

 Louise Gaston (1878-1964) was an American illustrator who lived and worked in the early 20th century. Born in New York City, she attended the Art Students League of New York where she studied under William Merritt Chase and Frank Vincent DuMond. Gaston became well known for her illustrations in magazines such as Harper's Bazaar, Vanity Fair, and Vogue. Her work often featured fashionable women in elegant settings, and she was skilled at capturing the glamour and sophistication of the era. She also illustrated children's books, including "The Story of the First Christmas Tree" by Henry van Dyke. She was a member of the Society of Illustrators and served as the organization's first female president from 1933-1934.