"The Innocent Voyage" by Richard Hughes, illustrated with lithographs in color by Lynd Ward and with an introduction by Louis Untermeyer, published by The Heritage Press, New York, 1944. First edition for Ward illustrations [after Limited Edition the same year].

Hard boards, original white cloth, maroon decorated boards and lettering on spine, color illustrated endpapers, 6.1/4" x 9.1/2"; color illustrated title page, viii + 221 pages with 10 text illustrations in color + 13 color plates with blank versos. Very good condition.

Lynd Kendall Ward (1905-1985) was an American artist and novelist, known for his series of wordless novels using wood engraving, and his illustrations for juvenile and adult books. His wordless novels have influenced the development of the graphic novel. Although strongly associated with his wood engravings, he also worked in watercolor, oil, brush and ink, lithography and mezzotint.

Ward studied fine arts at Columbia Teachers College in New York. He edited the Jester of Columbia, to which he contributed arts and crafts how-to articles. His roommate arranged a blind date for Ward and May Yonge McNeer (1902-1994) in 1923; May had been the first female undergraduate at the University of Georgia in her freshman year. The two married on June 11, 1926, shortly after their graduation, and immediately left for Europe on their honeymoon.

After four months in eastern Europe, the couple settled in Leipzig, Germany for a year, where Ward studied as a special one-year student at the National Academy of Graphic Arts and Bookmaking. He learned etching from Alois Kolb, lithography from Georg Alexander Mathey, and wood engraving from Hans Alexander "Theodore" Mueller; Ward was particularly influenced by Mueller.

Ward was a member of the Society of Illustrators, a member and President of the Society of American Graphic Artists (SAGA), and the National Academy of Design. He won a number of awards, including a Library of Congress Award for wood engraving, the Caldecott Medal for The Biggest Bear in 1953 (with a runner-up for America's Ethan Allen in 1950), and a Rutgers University award for Distinguished Contribution to Children's Literature. He also illustrated two Newbery Medal books and six runners-up. In 2011, Ward was listed as a Judges' Choice for The Will Eisner Award Hall of Fame.

US: Priority (c.2-6 days) ----------- $12.50
Canada: 1st Class (c.2-7 weeks) ----- $27.50
World: 1st Class (c.2-10 weeks) ----- $35.50