Win this stunning leatherbound copy of Frank L Baum’s “The Wizard of Oz”, donated for this appeal by Rich Tong of Lyra’s Books. This is the Roman Numeral edition, one of only 8 in the world. With the same specification of the 26 copy-lettered edition, this is copy VIII - full details below. This edition retailed at £2,300 but commands a lot more on the secondary market. All proceeds (minus Raffall fees) will go directly to UNICEF. Print Run: 26 lettered and 8 Roman Numeral Pages: 229 Trimmed Page Size: 240 x 170mm Paper: 160gsm Madrid Litho mould-made Printing: Text printed letterpress in black and green throughout. All colour images giclee printed and sewn into the binding Binding: Full inlaid leather design binding, using inlays of yellow and multiple green leathers Presentation: Silk marker ribbon, sculpted head-caps, 22 colour images including four double page spreads tipped onto tabs Box: Rounded spine, full leather solander box. Portfolio containing 4 hand numbered giclee prints and an original sketch by the artist Signatures: Gregory Manchess – Artist Printed letterpress on Madrid Litho mould-made paper by Phil Abel and Robert Hetherington of Hand and Eye Letterpress. Printed in black and green throughout on a Heidelberg cylinder press using photopolymer plates. This edition is newly illustrated by award-winning oil painter Gregory Manchess. There are 22 paintings, comprising 21 full-page and one half-page colour images. This includes 4 double page spreads tipped onto tabs. All images are giclee printed by Hurtwood and sewn into the structure of the binding. The lettered edition is bound as a design binding, fully inlaid with leather and consisting of multiple inlaid panels to create a patchwork of greens. The design is inspired by the greens of the Emerald City as well as the journey through the woods along the yellow brick road. The greens on either side of the road suggest the shapes of the trees and the shafts of light shining through the canopy. The leather used includes J. Hewit & Sons straight grain, Harmatan finest, Oasis Fine and Hewit’s Pentland goatskins. This variety of very fine grade leathers creates a lovely selection of grains and finishes across the different panels. There is no set pattern for the positioning of the leather so each copy will be slightly different. Endpapers are stiff leaf, made from hand marbled paper by Freya Scott of Paperwilds and backed with foil blocked Napura Khepera paper. Silk ribbon marker. Sculpted leather head-caps. Silver on all three page edges. The book comes in a rounded spine, full leather solander box. Covered in yellow goatskin and foil blocked to the front and back board with a swarm of flying monkeys in black. The text on the front board and spine is foil blocked in green. The trays are covered in yellow Colorado cloth and lined with charcoal Suedel. The solander box contains a green Colorado cloth covered portfolio with a four-tongue enclosure, holding 4 hand numbered giclee prints on 250gsm Somerset paper and an original pencil sketch by Gregory Manchess.