Heading: (Sangorski, Alberto, calligrapher and illuminator)
Author: Rossetti, Dante Gabriel
Title: The Blessed Damozel
Place Published: London
Publisher:
Date Published: No date (early 20th century)
Description:

Illuminated manuscript on vellum. 11 leaves plus 4 blank vellum leaves at front and rear, the initial and terminal blanks backed with ivory moire silk. 24.5x17 cm (9¾x6¾"). Finely bound by Riviere in full blue morocco with onlay brown morocco-edged borders with elaborate gilt decorations surrounding large panel containing elaborate all-over botanic design with gilt-outlined onlays in green brown and red morocco, gilt stippling in-fill, dentelles with gilt rules, small circular red morocco onlays, brown morocco inlay border, gilt stipple heart devices at corners, ivory watered silk endleaves, edges gilt, stamp-signed on lower turn-in: Bound by Riviere and Son. Housed in a custom felt and moire silk-lined straight grain morocco case.

Written or decorated on 19 pages, including colophon, calligraphed in black script, with some initial letters or words in red. Title-page with a full-page miniature of the Blessed Damozel after Rossetti, surrounded by an illuminated floral border in colors on a burnished gold background, four winged angels within the border; the first and final two pages of verse include fine illuminated borders in colors and gilt; the inner leaves each with one or more large initial letter in gilt or colors, many with intricate pen-work surrounds, the illumined leaves with silk protective interleaves, the remainder with glassine guards. Colophon reads: "This manuscript "the Blessed Damozel" by D. G. Rossetti was written out and illuminated by Alberto Sangorski and bound by hand by Messrs R. Riviere and Son, London, and will not be duplicated. The miniature in title page was from the painting by Rossetti as an illustration of this poem written by him when he was twenty-two. A beautiful girl dying in youth is awaiting in heaven the coming of her lover, and from a fulness of rose blooms is gazing down towards the earth over a golden parapet." 

Alberto Sangorski (1862-1932) was the eldest son of six children, and was born in London. When Francis Sangorski, one of Alberto's brothers, began business as a bookbinder, Alberto was a frequent visitor to the bindery. Francis and his partner George Sutcliffe had trained at the London County Council School of Arts and Crafts (later known as the Central School and now Central St Martin's) and their workshop was less than a few minutes walk from the college. Francis returned to college as an evening class student to study writing and illuminating under Edward Johnston. Begining about 1905, Alberto devoted himself to making writing and illuminating his sole vocation until his death in 1932.

Case with some light wear; volume fine.