DOI Artikel:
Sullivan, Edward: Design in gold-tooled bookbinding
DOI Seite / Zitierlink:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.20710#0054
Design in Gold-Tooled Bookbinding
British binders for a period
of about a century and a
half—forms, too, which,
though differing from one
another in trivial variation
of their component parts,
seemed to have been ac-
cepted, by designers and
book-lovers alike, as the
be-all and the end-all of the
bookbinding craft in this
country, and as something
beyond which no one had
the courage or imagination
to pass.
The welcome change
came at last—an outcome
of the late Victorian re-
vival identified so largely
with the name of William
Morris — and it soon be-
came apparent that there
were new schemes of com-
position, and fresh possibili-
ties of tool-designing, which
—in the hands of an artist
who cared only to remem-
ber what was best in the
past, and who had the dar-
ing to shake off the yoke
of routine which for so
long had stifled all thoughts bookbinding by sir edward sullivan
of emerging into originality
—were capable of produc-
ing, in the eyes of persons of correct taste, decor- new and improved conditions was Mr. Cobden-
ative effects of grace and beauty to which the Sanderson; and his ornamental bindings, in a
English bibliophile had for more than a century style altogether his own, have not yet been sur-
been unused. ■ passed in any country.
Contemporaneously with this renaissance of the It is curious that while in England design may
art there sprang up amongst book-lovers a more now be said to have reached a high level, France,
widely felt desire for the possession of beautifully with all its great tradition of bygone glory in this
bound books. Such changes of fashion on the direction, has remained for many years past all but
part of collectors are somewhat difficult to account stationary. French technique is still of the highest
for, but it is possible in this case that the alteration order of excellence, but it is mainly expended upon
of sentiment was to no little extent influenced by imitation; and when the Frenchman ventures on
the Exhibition of bookbinding given by the Burling- originality the results are too often what Ruskin
ton Fine Arts Club in the year 1891, as well as would call "a glittering vacillation of undisciplined
by the sumptuously illustrated catalogue published enchantment." * What is still more singular is
shortly after, which contained an extremely large that French decorative binders believe that the art
number of facsimiles in gold and colours of the does not exist outside of their own country—such,
choicest examples of the decorative work exhibited at least, .was the view of one of the best of their
—a volume which, of its kind, is yet without any artistic craftsmen, Marius Michel, who, in the year
rival. !878, when design was no better in France
The practical pioneer in bookbinding under the * " Seven Lamps of ArStaw^vM., 2*9. ~
37
British binders for a period
of about a century and a
half—forms, too, which,
though differing from one
another in trivial variation
of their component parts,
seemed to have been ac-
cepted, by designers and
book-lovers alike, as the
be-all and the end-all of the
bookbinding craft in this
country, and as something
beyond which no one had
the courage or imagination
to pass.
The welcome change
came at last—an outcome
of the late Victorian re-
vival identified so largely
with the name of William
Morris — and it soon be-
came apparent that there
were new schemes of com-
position, and fresh possibili-
ties of tool-designing, which
—in the hands of an artist
who cared only to remem-
ber what was best in the
past, and who had the dar-
ing to shake off the yoke
of routine which for so
long had stifled all thoughts bookbinding by sir edward sullivan
of emerging into originality
—were capable of produc-
ing, in the eyes of persons of correct taste, decor- new and improved conditions was Mr. Cobden-
ative effects of grace and beauty to which the Sanderson; and his ornamental bindings, in a
English bibliophile had for more than a century style altogether his own, have not yet been sur-
been unused. ■ passed in any country.
Contemporaneously with this renaissance of the It is curious that while in England design may
art there sprang up amongst book-lovers a more now be said to have reached a high level, France,
widely felt desire for the possession of beautifully with all its great tradition of bygone glory in this
bound books. Such changes of fashion on the direction, has remained for many years past all but
part of collectors are somewhat difficult to account stationary. French technique is still of the highest
for, but it is possible in this case that the alteration order of excellence, but it is mainly expended upon
of sentiment was to no little extent influenced by imitation; and when the Frenchman ventures on
the Exhibition of bookbinding given by the Burling- originality the results are too often what Ruskin
ton Fine Arts Club in the year 1891, as well as would call "a glittering vacillation of undisciplined
by the sumptuously illustrated catalogue published enchantment." * What is still more singular is
shortly after, which contained an extremely large that French decorative binders believe that the art
number of facsimiles in gold and colours of the does not exist outside of their own country—such,
choicest examples of the decorative work exhibited at least, .was the view of one of the best of their
—a volume which, of its kind, is yet without any artistic craftsmen, Marius Michel, who, in the year
rival. !878, when design was no better in France
The practical pioneer in bookbinding under the * " Seven Lamps of ArStaw^vM., 2*9. ~
37