New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-11-11
MODERN BOOh BINDINGS.

There viii be opened at the publishing house OF
Charles Scribner's Sons tomorrow morning an
hbtion OF nnc modern bindings. Examples Of
American English and French Craftsmen are
shown. They all worth seeing. and in
respect this IL particularly edifying little dis
play. II demonstrates. through the presence OF
several typical specimens. that American binders
doing much OF their most noted
English colleagues 10 conserve the best traditions
OF their art. Those traditions are In the direction
OF a purely conventional style OF decoration. the
embellishments OF book with formal geo
metric lines and arabcsqucs. The quasi pictorial
form OF adornment Is often picturesque and pleas
ing the eye but II BE- this OF thing that has
dcservedly earned for some OF cobdcn-Sanderson's
most ambitious work the sobriquct OF candy box
decoration"
In examples like the Grolier edition OF Milton's
"Areopagitica." In Fitzgcralds Omar Khayyam
both from Bradsirect's; the Kelmscott edition
OF Shakespcares Poems bound by Stkeman there
H. perfect taste exhibited. In these there is no
excess OF ornament and that used IL Of simple
nature consistent with bobksh thines. The books
just mentioned refreshingly characteristic OF
American bnderics. The English Zaehnsdorn him
scis sometimes recognizes the superiority Of a
chastcLcd almost severe style and along with an
overloaded like that which he made for the
Kelnscott Keats. the Scribncrs show a beautifully
refined and even stately little design applied to a
copy OF the first edition OF "Hudbras." Miss Pri-
doaux IL also fascinating I'm way to satisfy the
purist when she pleases. though occasionally she
grows as erratlc as Golden nderson or the Miss
Nichols. whose binding for '"rhc Germ" that
curious relic OF -Raphaelite days is magnn-
Gently executed. but not conceived in the true
spirit OF binding Miss Pri:eaux's for her
work binding Is superb piece OF blind
toong. and for simple dignity II is OF the
best things In the show
But the French have established themselves per
haps most brilliantly of all in the way of staeli-
and appropriateness. The two books from
Ruban Iongus's "Daphns and Chloe and
'JEtourdf' OF Moliere; the copy OF the "Contes
Remois from Lortlc Fills the little volume Of
Gautier. bound by Marius Michel. the exquisite
design made by Sinner for an old book Spanish
costume. these and many others In the finest
vein OF the binder. refined conventional. and
origNhal somehow. although the motives employed
are generally the straight lines and curves of the
early masters When floral touches intro
ducei thew only touches and the integrity
of the scheme as pattern pure and simple Is left
undisturbed. In sheer luxury this exhibition Is "A
feast I'm Itself II II senauous pleasure To handle
Wcighty specimens OF crushed leather, 10 feel the
contact OF absolutely faultlcss workmanship. For
other reasons IL is extremely interesting To turn
over the books I'm this collection. Some OF them
are unimDortant. but most OF them are rare. and
the book lover well rs the art amateur can
spend a delightful half hour In their company.
The exhibition remains open for IA week.