Offered for sale by Adam Langlands of 'Shadowrock Rare Books' - for more information please contact him via email at adamlanglands@gmail.com

Thomas DOCKRELL & Co., of South Great Georges St., Dublin (retailers and publishers). “Wall Papers / and / Friezes / in stock / 1925” [title taken from upper cover]. Dublin: 1925. Oblong folio (9 ¾ x 15 ½ inches). 506 samples (365 of wall paper; 141 of friezes), together with about 10 pages of associated illustrated text. Condition: 3 samples with small sections excised, occasional light toning, but generally excellent. Original green cloth, the upper cover blocked with title in black (see above), the spine lettered in black ‘T.D.S. & Co. Ltd’ and ‘Book No.3’, original leather and metal carrying handle and strap. Condition of binding: signs of old damp damage, two small areas of surface gouging of the cloth, neat retouching to lettering on upper cover, otherwise excellent. A very rare primary source, with a Joyce-ian link: Dockrell’s were something of an institution in Dublin, to the extent that they are apparently mentioned in ‘Ulysses’ (p.161: “Dockrell… wallpaper dealers”). There is a huge range of designs which, as a whole, offer a valuable first-hand snapshot of middle-class tastes in the ‘20s. From ‘anaglypta’, through chinoiserie, floral, flirting with ‘art deco’, ending with ‘varnished’ and ‘sanitary’ (washable?), some quite startlingly bright colors, strong textures, quiet relaxed swags of roses: all temperaments catered for. Many are accompanied by matched ‘friezes’ – narrow strips used to ‘frame’ the wall paper, to emphasize a dado or picture rail, give depth to some designs, flatten out others.