The times., 1898-08-08
THE RIvIEREs BINDERY FIRE.
Many New YcrI<ers Lose Treasures
That Cannot He Replaced.

That Cannot He Replaced
New York, Aug. Fire ravaged the
bookbinderv-'of Riviere, in London, Mon
day night. 1t was in an old wooden
building. There fire spoiled nothing ar
chitecturai. it harmed no one physically,
but it gnieved inexpressibly book lover
in every great capa.al; it spoiled books
of the Elizabethan age plates Of Bar
tolozzi, vignettes by Eisen, Moreau and
Pater.
The book lovers of New York had books
there that are last. They were insured,
certainly, but what folly, it is 10 think
that a scarce book may be replaced by
payment of It's value in dollars, or
pounds. shillings and pence!
Rivieres bookbindery was in an old
wooden building, not only because it was
an old bookbindery, but because stone
or an iron. building may not adapt itself
TO a bookbinders press as well as an old
wooden one. Moreover, landlords in Lon
don will mot let new buildings to old
bookbinders.
They are handicraftsmen too conscien-
tious. Under their presses the floors
groan the walls crack, for the books are
well pressed. Wooden buildings alone
resist the pressure, and SO Riviere had
his workshop in one. Age and usage
darkened it. The oil of Levant morocco,
of Cape morocco, or shagreen. sheepskin
and calfskin filtered through il.
Riviere is the son and grandson of
great bookbinders. The name stands
alone, without the initial of a praeno-
me o1d
Riviere-one is a Royal Academician-bu
REVERE is the bookbnders, as Voltaire
is the philosopher.
Riviere was always famous as a bind
er in tree calf. There has never been
an artisan able like Riviere to give to
tree calf all the advantage of its pictur-
esque lines and mirrorlike clearness
But he was the first artisan of England
who adopted an idea entirely American
that has made the art of bookbinding
keep pace with the art of painting and
the art of music.
Riviere's bookbindings express the in
dividuality of the author of the book and
the individuality of its owner He is a
book-lover's bookbinder. New Workers
sent to him the books that the Club
Bindery, Stikeman or Bradstreets had not
| the time or faculty TO bind.
Then, English books, some enthusiasts
| think, ought to be bound by an English
| bookbinder. Riviere had dramas of the
| time of Eliza beth TO be bound for Bev-
! erly Chew: poems of the same epoch to
! be bound for Marshall c. Lefferts; works
| of Dickens and Thackeray in their orig
! inal illustrated paper covers, 10 be bound
! for Edwin 3. Holden: first editions of
| Goldsmith TO be bound for William Lor-
ing Andrews; and pamphlets for Will
lard Bayard Cutting and old ballads for
Richard Hoe Lawrence.
R.viere had the Decree Of S.ar Cham
Der Concern.ng Printing issued in the
time of Charles l.. the original Paradise
| Lost OF Milton and the first folio edition
! CT Ben Johnson's works in wide margins,
! for Ro5eTt Hoe, 1ha 'ESen;Imenr a. Jour-
! ney" of SteTHe for Louis /. Haber, and
! the a[micgble Go den Legend" of the
/ Kelmscott press 10 be bound for Fletcher
! II. Bangs.
Rdviere takes his time to produce the
| Splendors Of workmanship that have
made his name famous. SIX mon hs, a
! year. are not long periods a book to
| become in Riviere'- workmanship a book
/ for book lover.
The book lovers who have 10 I by the
| fire in mis- shop treasure that money can
| not replace blame fate not him. But
/ their vacations were spelled Yesterday,
ard they had an air of being inconsol-
able.