New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-02-25
ARTISTIC BOOKBINDlNG.
ENGLISH FRENCH. AND AMERICAN.

AMERICAN ROoxBINDING.
IFn0M THE EEGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF riIE tribune
LONDON. Feb 7.--AmOng British contributors 10
tbe Paris Exhibition of 1878 there figures, II is
stated. but single British bookbinder. Whether
this be accident, want Of energy, or for whatever
reasol II is the less significant II eay not be
meant a. confession of inferiority hut 1t viii pass
for such, and rightly. The sad trnth is thai the
Tnglishman cannot compete with his French COM
radc IN the highest branch Of the book binding pro
fcsslon The same thing must be said of the English
uuhhsher tbonoh ! dare say he would deny IT
with Indignation and surprise lie does not,
Mt any rate seem to fear competition, for there
are 10 be eighteen English exhibitors of books at
Paris On examining the list, il Will be found to
include 10 finn of the first rank iii the publishing
tTadenot one of the great houses whose DaInes are
most familiar to the American buver You had an OPP
porttn,ity in 1876 TO compare English and French
printing. II would be interesting TO know what
your lrst printers thought of the craftsmanship OF
the Freedman JouOust, and whether they consider
that they can or do turn perfect specimens Of
printed books from American presses. II Mr.
Houghton or Messrs. WEIGH q BigclOw would pub
lish frank statement of their opinions on this point
the little public which for excellence IN book
making would | am sure, he much DBL ged to them.
Isnsrect we should find that the standards OF eX-
ceeDce Of taste if they prefer are not quite the
same in America and France. any more than they
are in England and France.
The same appeal might he made TO the American
bookbinder. with still more curious results, II he
would bat listen it. Is be going 10 send the pro-
duct of his skill 10 Paris and if so, what products
II were almost to he wished he would initiate tie
discretion of his English cousin--alnost. but not
quite for after all he viii learn somei hing to repay
him for the Illumination that awaits him if he com
petes with the French binder. Let me admit at
once that this is most unpatriotc and pre-
sumptu0us thing to say. / would nos whisper
such words in an English periodical, but
the angry American must bear in mind that
his newspaper is devoted in part 20 the
telling of unpleasant truths for home consumption
exclusively. The American binder gave us OF his
best, ] suppose, at the Philadelphia Exhibition
saw whatever was to be seen there. The more me-
chanical and purely useful part of his work-thc
forwardng-seemed in some cases well done Inc
decorative and artistic work was not wei zone.
did not see q single volume which wOuld pass nus
Ter with French collector. ! did not see
one which indicated that the binder 50 inucl
as knew what French conRossienr would
require of him in certain points. II was hot
so much that he had tried and failed as thai ne had
not known what 10 try for. Most OF the work saw
seemed to have been done from English models or
under English influences. The American hcok-HrYer
Is more or less responsible no doubt Tor Ms sia'e
Of things. for, with him., modern English bindings
have long held high rank. Well, Their - one Ing
lsh binder of merit, and his name is Bedford Ills
very best work will compare not unfayorably Will
Good ,econd-ratc French work That is rs high AS |
dare PIT him. 1t perhaps as high as he would put
himself for he IS artist enough 10 be CONSCIOUS
OF his intcrl0rlty. He SAID 70 ne
once: "All the good things do ! learned
in France: all The poor things ! learned
in England" His strong point is Soldity OF work
manship. He knows good skin when be sec, II.
aud knows fairly well how to treat 1t. speak Of
levant morocco of course that beng the only ma
terial on which, as rule an artist cares 20 ,prns
much skill in the covering of books. BcdiorPS calf
is the best in the world and is capital binding for
large classes Of books for which morocco is unsuta
BILE on account of its cost ana for other reasons. bat
it need not be taken into account IN estimating his
position relatively to the best French artists who
now work ia morocco exclusively. Bedford Is not
think, the binder who Is to put IN an appearance at
Paris. That adventurous soul is more probably
sone third or hitrate workman IN search OF an adj
vertlsement.
But to 30 back to Philadelphia for a moment. !
am almost inclined to say that the least pretentiors
bindings were the least bad. If ] bad to choose
something to bring back to London with me
sample of American skill, should have chosen two
or three small volumes in vcllum, which had already
been bought by German commissioner, Neuin,
however is material which does not admit Of the
highest order of skill in its treatment. ]
dill not see a single fairly well-bound book
In calf; though there many puadcd
at prices which might persuade the unwary buyer
that he was securing masterpiece Among morocco
which its owners announced to the public by aid of
a printed label, as bound in the highest known
style Of art or something to that effect. 1t a
piece Of mosaic work, deliberately inlad, in thor
oughly bad taste, and coarse in execution. At the
same time. il was an attempt at decorative work OF
a more than ordinary kind, and would not nave
challenged quite so severe a verdict If il had been
more uodcstly praised, left to praise itself was
shown afterward at a bookstore in Ncw-York,
volume bound by Matthews, which had real merit,
aud was, indeed taken "A whole, the most credit
able piece of work that | saw III the United
States. praised it as it deserved The morocco
was large in grain, and if its beauty had not been
made the most of, its surface still very good.
There was no attempt at delicate tooling. but the
pattern on the back was simple, and it was repeated
in the angles OF the sides in truc spirit. The
lnltring at the angles of the flets was accurate.
But when ventured to point out certain faults
sch as the carrying of the tool on the inside border
over on to the lining, which is merely method Of
covering mp careless workmanship was politely
told that the binder must know his own business bet
ter than could. have not doubt of it. can only
saw by way of eXcusing myself that French
binder who sent a book home in that state would
have it promptly returned his hands Mr.. Mat
thcws nevertheless, gives signs of having studied
In the French schools. don't know that he
tered a French sh0p but he has certainly had in his
hand the work of good French binders. He is
rloycd am told, to supcrintcud The bindery Of one
large publishing house in New-Yoik, at very HIGH
salary; that the private amateur can only p!0nt
indirectly by his skill. Nor is binder likely 70 do
his best IN an establishment of that kind icis forced
to turn out large quantity Of cheap work; and TO
use probably, cheap processes for some of his best
work Machinery is largely employed, and the use
Of machinery j. fatal. Commercially. pcTliaps. II s
indispensable, hit II IS none the less destructive 10
artistic excellence in binding. as in most other
things in which arr has any snare. 1hcro are pcO-
lie who fluid ~ much art ~ a ACKNOWLEDGMENT az
H. The water-col0r drawing straight from the mas