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‘feature book of the week’ Category

  1. Bookbinder of the Month: Rose Adler

    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.

  2. Bookbinder of the Month: Rose Adler

    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.

  3. Bookbinder of the Month: Sybil Pye

    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.

  4. Bookbinder of the Month: Sybil Pye

    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.

  5. Bookbinder of the Month: Sybil Pye

    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. 

  6. Bookbinder of the Month: Sybil Pye

    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. 

  7. Bookbinder of the Month: Sybil Pye

    September 2, 2012 by Erin Fletcher

    In 1931, Sybil Pye bound this copy of Christina Rossetti’s Poems from Gregynog Press.  A full leather binding of dark green goatskin with inlaid shapes of bright green and natural goatskin.  Gold tooling is done with her custom brass tools.  This binding is owned by the Wormsley Library.  

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  • My name is Erin Fletcher, owner and bookbinder of Herringbone Bindery in Boston. Flash of the Hand is a space where I share my process and inspirations.
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