Mosaique

1926 · ST20086 — Boston: Little Brown & Co 1926. First Trade Edition. 228 x 160 mm. 9 x 6 1/4". 8 p.l. 316 pp. 1 leaf. <br/> SPECTACULAR MOSAIC MOROCCO BY CURTIS WALTERS signed in gilt on rear turn-in covers with animated repeating ogival pattern inlaid in several hues of morocco black navy blue light blue light brown and orange separated into three panels by thin strips of red morocco and gilt rules THE COVERS WITH APPROXIMATELY 662 INLAYS IN TOTAL raised bands spines compartments ruled in gilt and inlaid with a similar design gilt titling NAVY BLUE MOROCCO DOUBLURES bordered with strips of eggplant and red morocco and four gilt rules navy blue watered silk endleaves top edge gilt others trimmed on the rough. Housed in a marbled paper chemise with red morocco back and matching slightly worn slipcase.<br /> With color frontispiece and printed tissue guard 48 black & white plates one double-page specimen reproduction and numerous in-text illustrations and specimen page reproductions. With tipped-in "Compliments of the Author" leaf SIGNED by Orcutt. Clizbee "Curtis Walters American Binder" in "The American Book Collector" August September 1932 pp. 124-34 this binding pictured in the second plate. Copy included with this item. Very slight offsetting from plates and the odd trivial imperfection internally otherwise a fine copy IN AN IMMACULATE BINDING.<br/> <br/> This splendid mosaic binding is a tour-de-force of design and craftsmanship from an underappreciated American binder who specialized in this technique. The foreword to the 10 December 1957 sale catalogue of his bindings at Parke Bernet says that they "constitute a splendid group of American mosaic bindings such as have never been offered for sale before. . . . The description of bindings is always a difficult matter; it becomes practically impossible when one is faced by the stunning variety of complex patterns of colored mosaic inlays which Mr. Walters has assembled with infinite patience extraordinary skill and sophisticated taste . . . He has invented and brought to perfection a new technique whereby the most intricate inlaid designs can be achieved by a few simple tools without the use of dies or punches; gilt dots circlets and fillets are generally applied with restraint. . . . It need hardly be added that all of Mr. Walters' bindings are made of the very finest leathers available and that their workmanship reveals consummate craftsmanship down to the smallest detail." The present item was lot #25 in that sale. Walters became interested in bookbinding around 1900 and studied with such prestigious workshops as William Matthews the Club Bindery and Henry Stikeman. In "Hand Bookbinding in the United States Since the Civil War" Thompson tell us of Walters' work: "The infinite variety of design permitted by mosaic work is combined with Walters' marvelous delicacy in color schemes finely conceived geometric patterns and tasteful use of gold leaf to produce books that no Americans save perhaps the artists of the Club Bindery could have matched. The utter simplicity of Walters' methods he used but four tools belies his perseverance and devotion to his art. Only infinite patience and consummate skill could have produced Walters' bindings." The article by Azalea Clizbee in the accompanying copy of "The American Book Collector" describes Walters' technique for creating his mosaic bindings using only the simplest tools with plates depicting eight of his bindings including this one. Although very secondary here the text is appropriately a celebration of book arts--printing binding and illustration--by William Dana Orcutt 1870-1953 typographer printer and book designer. After graduating from Harvard in 1892 he went to work for the University Press there. He created several typefaces most notably "Humanistic" based on the humanist hand of 15th century scribe Antonio Sinibaldi. With Daniel Updike and Bruce Rogers he established the Boston Society of Printers in 1905. He was the author of several works on printing typography and the making of beautiful books. Little, Brown & Co unknown