A History of the Golden Cockerel Press 1920-1960 is a definitive bibliographical and historical account of one of the most celebrated private presses of the twentieth century. Founded in 1920 by Hal Taylor and later transformed under the ownership of Robert Gibbings and then Christopher Sandford, the Golden Cockerel Press became synonymous with exquisitely printed, illustrated editions that married fine typography with bold, original artwork.
The book traces the press through its distinct phases. The early years under Taylor were marked by financial struggle and a wandering, nomadic existence, yet even then the press produced volumes notable for their careful hand-setting and attention to paper quality. The arrival of Robert Gibbings in 1924 marked a turning point. A gifted wood engraver himself, Gibbings moved the press to Waltham Saint Lawrence in Berkshire and established its visual signature: crisp, muscular engravings printed directly from the woodblock alongside clean, readable type. It was under Gibbings that the press produced its most famous collaboration—the 1932 edition of The Canterbury Tales illustrated by Eric Gill, a book whose lush, sometimes erotic engravings sparked both admiration and scandal.
The history chronicles the press’s later years under Christopher Sandford, who took over in 1933 and maintained production through the hardships of World War II and the paper rationing of the post-war era. Sandford’s taste leaned toward the whimsical and the pastoral, but he upheld the press’s technical standards, commissioning work from artists such as John Buckland-Wright and Clifford Webb.
Beyond narrative history, the volume serves as an essential reference. It includes a complete bibliography of every book issued by the press, from the first slender pamphlet to the ambitious multi-volume sets. Descriptions of paper stocks, typefaces (including the press’s own “Golden Cockerel” type cut by Gill), bindings, and limitation numbers are provided with scholarly precision. The book also features reproductions of title pages, colophons, and specimen illustrations, allowing readers to appreciate the craftsmanship that made Golden Cockerel a beacon of the private press movement. For collectors, bibliophiles, and anyone who believes that a book can be a work of art, this history remains the indispensable chronicle of a singular English institution.
