Between 1991 and 1997 the Folio Society issued a series of its smallest books, one each year.
These gems are all tiny poetry collections, 32 pages long and a mere 12 x 8.5 cm, or about
5 x 3 inches. The 7 volumes were printed letterpress and bound in moiré silk, and enclosed in
thin cardboard gold slipcases embossed with the FS logo.
Each of these charming tiny volumes has illustrated endpapers and include numerous wood engravings
by different artists. Several were given away as joining incentives, but were also available
for purchase for £7.95 each when they were released.
In 1991, the first to be released was The Lady of Shalott – Alfred, Lord Tennyson’s
lyrical ballad that was inspired by the Arthurian legend of Elaine of Astolat, who dies of her
unrequited love for Sir Lancelot. It is bound in maroon moiré silk and illustrated with
engravings by Howard Phipps. The maroon endpapers feature ‘the lilies blown, round an island
there below, the island of Shalott.
1992 saw Robert Browning’s dramatic and humorous poem telling the story of The Pied
Piper of Hamelin. This one is bound in dark brown moire silk, but – like most of the
volumes in this series, it is prone to fading. Engravings are by John Lawrence, and the chocolate
coloured endpapers feature ‘Rats! They fought the dogs and killed the cats, and bit the
babies in the cradles, And ate the cheeses out of the vats, and licked the soup from
the cooks’ own ladles’.
1993’s The Garden and Other Poems by Andrew Marvell features the title poem which is a
meditation in a garden, along with 'The Picture of little T. C. in a Prospect of Flowers',
'The Mower against Gardens', 'Damon the Mower', 'The Mower to the Glow-worms', 'The Mower's
Song', 'The Garden of Appleton House' and 'To His Coy Mistress'. It is illustrated with
nine small wood-engravings by Harry Brockway.
In 1994, Folio released Sir Patrick Spens and Other Ballads, featuring a Scottish maritime
ballad about a disaster at sea, with engravings by Jane Lydbury.
Edgar Allen Poe’s classic supernatural narrative poem The Raven was 1995’s offering, with
engravings by George Tute.
Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing,
Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortals ever dared to dream before
The
last two volumes differ a little in that they are small compilations selected directly by
the Folio Society staff, but they feature more illustrations than the earlier volumes
as well.
1996 was a collection of Fifty Folio Epigrams, which are short and pithy quotes or satirical
poems, illustrated by Peter Forster.
And the final volume released in 1997 was a selection
of Fifty Folio Love Poems, with 32 engravings by Simon Brett.
I hope you enjoyed looking at these delightful volumes, and please subscribe if you’d like
to see more beautiful books. Ciao!