October 25, 2012 by Erin Fletcher
Check out my show on October 30th over at Buy Some Damn Art. I rebound 6 titles from the crafty and clever Roald Dahl (my childhood favorite). All of the books are for sale and would make the perfect addition to your library.
Stay updated on upcoming exhibitions by signing up to BSDA’s mailing list. Every week you are introduced to exciting artistic talents, plus at a low cost you can start covering those bare walls or shelves.
October 21, 2012 by Erin Fletcher
Simulacre, a surrealist novella by Michel Leiris with illustration by French artist André Masson was printed in 1925. The binding was designed by Rose Adler and executed by Emmanuel Lecarpentier in 1927. Bound in full black calf with an inlay of cabochon of agate capping off a semi-oval of coral-pink crocodile set within an aluminum fillet. Title on the spine overlaps an inlay of red calf, tooled with aluminum on the black and black on the red.
The edges are gilt in aluminum, full leather doublures lacquered in gilt with endleaves of black watered silk. This is an impeccable binding, the vast negative space is perfectly balance against the bold and highly textured crocodile skin.
October 14, 2012 by Erin Fletcher
In 1930, Rose Adler created this design for Francis de Croisset’s Aux fétes de Kapurthala, the binding was executed by Emmanuel Lecarpentier for Jacque Doucet’s collection. Bound in citron calf, the front cover has an inlay of cabochon of chrysoprase topped with a patterned band of black and ivory calf outlined in a gold gilt fillet, at the base of the cover is an inlay of black calf. The title and author’s name has been tooled blind along the spine. Edges are gilt with aluminum. Doublures of ivory calf line the inside of each board paired with black watered silk flyleaves.
The book is housed in a wrapper and slipcase decorated with black, orange and gold paper, bordered with citron calf. The wrapper doublure is done with almond-green, hard-grained leather.
October 7, 2012 by Erin Fletcher
In 1918, this copy of Guillaume Apollinaire’s Calligrammes: Poémes de la paix et de la guerre was printed with an original etching by Pablo Picasso (engraved by René Jaudon) and an original drawing by René Jaudon. In 1925, Rose Adler created the design and the binding was executed by Adolphe Cuzin for Jacques Doucet’s collection.
Bound in ivory calfskin with overlapping inlays of black calf and beige goatskin. All tooling on cover and gilding on the edges has been done in aluminum. The turn-ins are ivory calf embellished with aluminum fillets bordering an inlay panel of black calf with a mosaic of beige goatskin. The fly leaf is silver lamé (fabric woven or knit with thin ribbons of metallic threads). The binding is housed in a wrapper and slipcase of aluminum paper framed by red and black calf. The title and author’s name are tooled over three inlays of beige goatskin in aluminum over a black spine.
October 1, 2012 by Erin Fletcher
This copy of Colette’s L’Envers du Music-Hall with illustrations by Jean-Emile Laboureur was printed in Paris in 1926. The binding was signed and designed by Rose Adler and executed by Emmanuel Lecarpentier in 1929 for the bibliophile Jacques Doucet. Bound in ivory calf, the dancer’s legs are highlighted with royal blue, red, beige and black calf. On the spine the author’s name has been tooled in aluminum with an inlay of royal blue calf for the initial, while the title has been tooled in both gold and aluminum with an inlay of pink calf for the initial and royal blue for the apostrophe.
Unfortunately there is not a lot written about Rose Adler. However, she is one of my favorite binders, working and living during one of the most exciting eras in terms of art and culture: Art Deco of the 1920’s and 30’s. Rose took on the profession of offering her design work as both a cabinetmaker and bookbinder. As a bookbinder she worked closely with her teacher, Pierre Legrain, who greatly influenced her design work and craftsmanship and much of her work was commissioned by Jacques Doucet.
Rose was particularly fond of calfskin because of its smooth qualities. She masterfully designed bindings, carefully considering the book itself and the materials. Like many other binders at the time, she incorporated an assortment of other materials into her work like lizard and crocodile skins, agate and lapis stones, aluminum for edge gilding and tooling, and lacquer as a finish.
Rose was born in 1892 and lived until 1959.
September 30, 2012 by Erin Fletcher
Even though this book is more heavily tooled then her other bindings, she keeps to the same rhythm of repeating her signature tools in order to create the design. The same tool is used in each corner and lines are used to break up the already complex design. This edition of Francois Villon’s Ballades and Miscellaneous Poems was printed in 1900 by the Eragny Press and bound by Sybil in 1928. Covered in red goatskin over 5 raised bands, the design also includes onlays of green and natural goatskin. This book can be seen in detail online at the British Library.
September 23, 2012 by Erin Fletcher
Another edition of Thomas Sturge Moore’s The Little School, this copy was also printed by Eragny Press in 1905 (but on paper instead of vellum). Unlike last week’s binding, Sybil didn’t bind this edition until 1940, much later in her career. Covered in a turquoise goatskin with inlays of jade-green, light red, black and natural goatskin. Again you find the familiar shapes gilt in gold, anchoring the corners with the fat “o” tool, repetition in the stacking of the rounded triangle, and lines that run the full height of the book.
September 17, 2012 by Erin Fletcher
The University of Utah’s J. Willard Marriott Library is hosting an exhibition from September 7th – November 4th showcasing bindings of the set book Fantasy and Nonsense printed by Tryst Press; my binding will be included in this show. If you happen to be in the area during the second weekend in October, head over to the Utah Museum of Fine Arts to see the Horizon exhibition, where my binding of Flatland will be on display. Both of these exhibitions coincide with the Standards of Excellence Seminar held by the Guild of Book Workers.
September 16, 2012 by Erin Fletcher
Sybil Pye was a long-term companion to artist and poet Thomas Sturge Moore and throughout her career bound several copies of his book of poetry The Little School. This copy was printed on vellum by Eragny Press in 1905 and bound by Sybil in 1916. Covered in green goatskin with inlays of vellum and gold tooled with her familiar brass tools. Marianne Tidcombe’s Women Bookbinder 1880-1920 gives ownership to the Wormsley Library, but you can view this binding on the British Library’s online catalogue.
September 9, 2012 by Erin Fletcher
The British Library houses an immense collection of bookbindings. But if you can’t make it to London you can view incredibly detailed scans of their collection online. This binding of Sir Thomas Browne’s Religio Medici, Urn Burial, Christian Morals and other essays was bound by Sybil Pye in 1940 and is owned by the British Library. Only the upper cover has been digitized, but we can see the book was bound in a black goatskin with 5 raised bands on the spine. The design on the cover has been implemented with onlays in a fair goat and tooled in gold with her signature brass tools.
