DOI issue:
No. 73 (April 1899)
DOI article:Vallance, Aymer: Mr. Arthur H. Mackmurdo and the Century Guild
DOI article:Studio-talk
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.19231#0203
A. H. Mackmurdo
aims and objects, and
give forth the message to
the world at large. An
integral part of Mr. Mack-
murdo's undertaking was
the appearance at regular
intervals of an official
organ; and so, when in
1882, together with Mr.
Herbert Home, his former
pupil, taken subsequently
into partnership, and his
friend Mr. Selwyn Image,
he instituted the Century
Guild, the issue of the
Hobby Horse came as a
due and fitting sequence.
A word about this
magazine, the fair renown
of which, as well as its past
services in the cause of
art, are in danger of being
eclipsed by later and more
advanced publications.
The earliest number,
under the date April 1884,
was, at the time of its
appearance, a work quite
unique of its kind. Never
before had modern print-
ing been treated as a
serious art, whose pro-
vince was to embrace the
whole process, from the
writing-table in oak designed (1886) by a. h. mackmurdo selection and spacing of
the type and the position
is neither a painter of pictures nor a modeller of of the printed matter on the page, to the em-
statues, we apply the term to him with little more bellishment of the book with appropriate initials
significance than we should do in the case of a and other decorative ornaments. The sight of
cook or a hair-dresser. The practical result is that, a number of the Century Guild Hobby Horse,
being sundered and isolated, self-centred and with- proving as it did what artistic possibilities the
out a common goal, or interests and sympathies in noble art of printing yet offered, even at the
common, the arts one and all are grievously im- present day, greatly pleased William Morris and
paired. Mr. Mackmurdo's remedy then for their stimulated him to the enterprise of the Kelmscott
debilitated condition, his plan for infusing into Press, the brilliant achievement with which his.
them a renewed vital energy, was to emphasise the name will always be associated. Thus much for
essential unity of the arts, their inter-dependence the aesthetic qualities of the magazine. As regards,
one upon another. The idea, of course, even in the the subject matter, Mr. Mackmurdo, founder of
present century, was no new one. The firm of the Guild, naturally became their spokesman and'.
Morris & Co., the very embodiment of the same wrote the manifesto in which were set forth their
principle, had been in existence already close on aims and ideals. After the preliminary number-
twenty years. But then there was something which the Hobby Horse changed hands, and it was not;
Morris & Co. lacked. They had no authoritative until the beginning of 1886 that it reappeared.,
mouthpiece whereby they could formulate their From that time onward Mr. Mackmurdo contri-
187
aims and objects, and
give forth the message to
the world at large. An
integral part of Mr. Mack-
murdo's undertaking was
the appearance at regular
intervals of an official
organ; and so, when in
1882, together with Mr.
Herbert Home, his former
pupil, taken subsequently
into partnership, and his
friend Mr. Selwyn Image,
he instituted the Century
Guild, the issue of the
Hobby Horse came as a
due and fitting sequence.
A word about this
magazine, the fair renown
of which, as well as its past
services in the cause of
art, are in danger of being
eclipsed by later and more
advanced publications.
The earliest number,
under the date April 1884,
was, at the time of its
appearance, a work quite
unique of its kind. Never
before had modern print-
ing been treated as a
serious art, whose pro-
vince was to embrace the
whole process, from the
writing-table in oak designed (1886) by a. h. mackmurdo selection and spacing of
the type and the position
is neither a painter of pictures nor a modeller of of the printed matter on the page, to the em-
statues, we apply the term to him with little more bellishment of the book with appropriate initials
significance than we should do in the case of a and other decorative ornaments. The sight of
cook or a hair-dresser. The practical result is that, a number of the Century Guild Hobby Horse,
being sundered and isolated, self-centred and with- proving as it did what artistic possibilities the
out a common goal, or interests and sympathies in noble art of printing yet offered, even at the
common, the arts one and all are grievously im- present day, greatly pleased William Morris and
paired. Mr. Mackmurdo's remedy then for their stimulated him to the enterprise of the Kelmscott
debilitated condition, his plan for infusing into Press, the brilliant achievement with which his.
them a renewed vital energy, was to emphasise the name will always be associated. Thus much for
essential unity of the arts, their inter-dependence the aesthetic qualities of the magazine. As regards,
one upon another. The idea, of course, even in the the subject matter, Mr. Mackmurdo, founder of
present century, was no new one. The firm of the Guild, naturally became their spokesman and'.
Morris & Co., the very embodiment of the same wrote the manifesto in which were set forth their
principle, had been in existence already close on aims and ideals. After the preliminary number-
twenty years. But then there was something which the Hobby Horse changed hands, and it was not;
Morris & Co. lacked. They had no authoritative until the beginning of 1886 that it reappeared.,
mouthpiece whereby they could formulate their From that time onward Mr. Mackmurdo contri-
187