The Tower. London: Macmillan, 1928. First Edition. Pp, 110, uncut & unopened. Olive green cloth, designed in gilt by Sturge Moore, depicting ‘The Tower’ of Ballylee, Co. Galway, lacks dust jacket. Neat ownership name to front free endpaper, a nice bright copy. [Wade 158].

The Tower contained some of what were to be the poet’s most famous, most explicated poems. Yeats himself was very pleased with The Tower’s reception. He wrote his friend Lady Gregory that “Tower is receiving great favour.”

The beautiful image on the upper cover shows Thoor Ballylee reflected in the still water below it. The image suggests both Yeats’ poetic self-reflection & the meditative quality of his verse.

Thomas Sturge Moore (1870 1944) was an English author, poet and wood engraver especially noted for his bookplate designs. He designed several bindings for Yeats, however this is by far his most notable one.