DOI Heft:
No. 47 (February, 1897)
DOI Artikel:White, Gleeson: Some recent bookbindings by T. J. Cobden-Sanderson and Miss E. M. MacColl
DOI Seite / Zitierlink:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.18388#0056
Recent Bookbindings
portion of one revolution sufficed ; but if (as often
happened in the borders to a large volume) the
unbroken pattern was longer than the circum-
ference, a new start was made from the break of
the pattern. Miss MacColl's wheel is a tiny thing,
scarce half an inch in diameter, and without any
pattern on its edge. Nor does she coat it with
gold as the larger wheels were often coated; in her
method the pattern is first blind-tooled (i.e., merely
impressed on the leather), gold leaf is then put
into the lines, and the actual tooling is done by
re-impressing them with the heated wheel, some-
times twice or even three times. The dexterity
and accurate guidance of the tool in re-traversing the
straight or involved lines of the pattern will be more
realised by experts than by outsiders. I, who have
" forwarded " and " finished ': several atrociously
clumsy bindings by the old process, can but stand
aghast at the enterprise she adventured so lightly,
and has accomplished so admirably. In the first
designs by Mr. D. S. MacColl, it was found
necessary to cut specially several most simple
curves, which, despite their simplicity, were not
among the stock patterns of even first-rate book-
binders. This obstacle, which would have been
felt as a crying evil long before, had binders taken
originality of pattern as a necessary part of their
scheme, was quite surmounted by the invention of
this ingenious little roulette, which has been so
distinctly the cause of the freedom of line made
possible by its use. Now that the innovation has
justified its introduction, Miss MacColl is about
to experiment with wheels of much smaller dia-
meter, which will follow a given line almost as
freely as one could retrace it with brush or stylus.
Even in the few designs here reproduced the
whole spirit of each is due to this mobile line,
which preserves a vitality of its own as unlike the
ordinary " line " upon bindings as is that of Mr.
Aubrey Beardsley from those an engineer draughts-
man uses for his plans. Not only has Miss Mac-
Coll impressed most subtle curves by its means,
she has essayed the perfect circle, and not unsuc-
cessfully. If you attempt to trace a circle with a
pen the task is soon discovered to be difficult; but
to endeavour to keep its true arc with a wheel,
implies a certain instinct only obtained after long
practice by an expert accustomed to wield brush
and crayon. That the commercial binder is apt to
betray contempt for this innovation is scarce a
portion of one revolution sufficed ; but if (as often
happened in the borders to a large volume) the
unbroken pattern was longer than the circum-
ference, a new start was made from the break of
the pattern. Miss MacColl's wheel is a tiny thing,
scarce half an inch in diameter, and without any
pattern on its edge. Nor does she coat it with
gold as the larger wheels were often coated; in her
method the pattern is first blind-tooled (i.e., merely
impressed on the leather), gold leaf is then put
into the lines, and the actual tooling is done by
re-impressing them with the heated wheel, some-
times twice or even three times. The dexterity
and accurate guidance of the tool in re-traversing the
straight or involved lines of the pattern will be more
realised by experts than by outsiders. I, who have
" forwarded " and " finished ': several atrociously
clumsy bindings by the old process, can but stand
aghast at the enterprise she adventured so lightly,
and has accomplished so admirably. In the first
designs by Mr. D. S. MacColl, it was found
necessary to cut specially several most simple
curves, which, despite their simplicity, were not
among the stock patterns of even first-rate book-
binders. This obstacle, which would have been
felt as a crying evil long before, had binders taken
originality of pattern as a necessary part of their
scheme, was quite surmounted by the invention of
this ingenious little roulette, which has been so
distinctly the cause of the freedom of line made
possible by its use. Now that the innovation has
justified its introduction, Miss MacColl is about
to experiment with wheels of much smaller dia-
meter, which will follow a given line almost as
freely as one could retrace it with brush or stylus.
Even in the few designs here reproduced the
whole spirit of each is due to this mobile line,
which preserves a vitality of its own as unlike the
ordinary " line " upon bindings as is that of Mr.
Aubrey Beardsley from those an engineer draughts-
man uses for his plans. Not only has Miss Mac-
Coll impressed most subtle curves by its means,
she has essayed the perfect circle, and not unsuc-
cessfully. If you attempt to trace a circle with a
pen the task is soon discovered to be difficult; but
to endeavour to keep its true arc with a wheel,
implies a certain instinct only obtained after long
practice by an expert accustomed to wield brush
and crayon. That the commercial binder is apt to
betray contempt for this innovation is scarce a