444. A Posthumous Season

One of Charles Ricketts's first posthumous publications was a yearbook from Christie's auction house in London, Christie's Season 1931, covering the period October 1930-July 1931, and illustrated with photographs of paintings, silver objects, sculptures, furniture and stained glass windows.

Charles Ricketts, design for Christie's Season 1931

The book was published in December 1931. The foreword mentioned Ricketts:

This year it is our good fortune to have our Annual Review go forth dignified and embellished by a special cover designed by one of the most celebrated of British Artists, namely Mr. Charles Ricketts, R.A. To him our sincere thanks are due.

Charles Ricketts, design for Christie's Season 1931

These words came too late, because Ricketts had died on 7 October 1931. That's why a loosely inserted printed notice was added:

We have to record with the deepest regret that Mr. Charles Ricketts, R.A., who designed the cover for this volume, passed away while the book was in the press. C.M. & W.

The book is bound in half grey buckram, with white paper covers, with a repetitive design of a winged wheel symbolizing Mercury, patron of commerce, printed in blue. Part of the design contains a drawn label within blue and green lines and lettering by Ricketts (omitting the apostrophe) printed in green.

Charles Ricketts, design for Christie's Season 1931