Gray (John) Silverpoints, first edition, [out-of-series specially-bound copy on thick paper water-marked Spalding], from an edition limited to 325 (50 hors commerce), decorative initials by Charles Ricketts, original vellum decorated with gilt leaves and wavy lines, designed by Ricketts, uncut, a little soiled, tall narrow 8vo, Elkin Mathews and John Lane, 1893.

⁂ The first book by the poet and translator John Gray (1866-1934), and one of the most significant literary works of the decadent 1890s and the Aesthetic Movement. Gray was a protegé of Oscar Wilde, who is believed to have paid the publishing costs of the book, and was rumoured to have been the model for Dorian Gray although in fact the two met a year after Wilde's work was published. However, Gray was henceforth associated with the role and signed himself "Dorian" in letters to Wilde but the friendship was short-lived as Wilde disliked Gray's lifelong partner Marc-André Raffalovich, the French writer on homosexuality. Gray later became a Catholic priest based in Edinburgh.

Ricketts stated that the unusual and influential design of the book was in the style of an Aldine italic volume and a Persian saddle-book. 25 numbered copies of the deluxe edition were issued, plus a few copies without the limitation notice, as in this case.