DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.61314#0057
British Bookbinaings
of one out of the many branches of applied art
which he so strenuously served, seems to yield a
fit opportunity to acknowledge a debt, not only of
appreciation of work accomplished, but also of the
highest personal regard.
British tooled bookbind-
ings AND THEIR DESIGNERS.
BY ESTHER WOOD.
In the best books there is always some-
thing of the nature of a pilgrim’s scrip ; a treasured
burden intimately borne ; a precious roll inscribed
with the wisdom of life, and bound or tied up, as
the simpler word expresses it, for our counsel and
solace by the way. In this aspect, bookbinding
becomes one of the most poetic of the arts and
handicrafts, yielding rich opportunities for the
expression of personal feeling, and for honouring
by a beautiful and worthy setting the words of the
great writers of all time.
Machine-bound books, as we have said, fulfil
their purpose by being temporarily serviceable,
businesslike, and neat. Only in those that receive
“SUTHERLAND” DECORATION DESIGNED BY LEON V. SOLON
38
“Sutherland” decoration
DESIGNED BY LEON V. SOLON
the homage of hand-labour may the results,
be indefinitely durable, elaborate, delicate,
and fanciful in character. As regards the
first quality, it is not too much to demand
that a hand-bound book shall last as long
as the fibres that compose it. All grace
of construction, all finely-wrought orna-
ment, must subserve that quality to the
utmost. No earthy adulteration of paper
can be permitted between leather-covered
boards; the beauty of the forwarding and
finishing must be of a kind that will stand
constant wear: in the case of books for
daily reference and companionship it may
even approach that impregnable nature
which a modern advertiser has quaintly
hinted at, in announcing his wares to be
“ built for abuse.” Yet here the instincts,
of good taste correct the comparison, and
remind us that the abuse of strength
means the death of beauty, and that all
fair handiwork claims the same just and
temperate use that we would give to all
“ the beauty of the earth.”
Such phrases recall once more the name
of one out of the many branches of applied art
which he so strenuously served, seems to yield a
fit opportunity to acknowledge a debt, not only of
appreciation of work accomplished, but also of the
highest personal regard.
British tooled bookbind-
ings AND THEIR DESIGNERS.
BY ESTHER WOOD.
In the best books there is always some-
thing of the nature of a pilgrim’s scrip ; a treasured
burden intimately borne ; a precious roll inscribed
with the wisdom of life, and bound or tied up, as
the simpler word expresses it, for our counsel and
solace by the way. In this aspect, bookbinding
becomes one of the most poetic of the arts and
handicrafts, yielding rich opportunities for the
expression of personal feeling, and for honouring
by a beautiful and worthy setting the words of the
great writers of all time.
Machine-bound books, as we have said, fulfil
their purpose by being temporarily serviceable,
businesslike, and neat. Only in those that receive
“SUTHERLAND” DECORATION DESIGNED BY LEON V. SOLON
38
“Sutherland” decoration
DESIGNED BY LEON V. SOLON
the homage of hand-labour may the results,
be indefinitely durable, elaborate, delicate,
and fanciful in character. As regards the
first quality, it is not too much to demand
that a hand-bound book shall last as long
as the fibres that compose it. All grace
of construction, all finely-wrought orna-
ment, must subserve that quality to the
utmost. No earthy adulteration of paper
can be permitted between leather-covered
boards; the beauty of the forwarding and
finishing must be of a kind that will stand
constant wear: in the case of books for
daily reference and companionship it may
even approach that impregnable nature
which a modern advertiser has quaintly
hinted at, in announcing his wares to be
“ built for abuse.” Yet here the instincts,
of good taste correct the comparison, and
remind us that the abuse of strength
means the death of beauty, and that all
fair handiwork claims the same just and
temperate use that we would give to all
“ the beauty of the earth.”
Such phrases recall once more the name