The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1902-05-04

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several hundred dollars and become the
special property OF each subscriber and
forming in their entirety a veritable gal
lery Of modern day paintings made by
artists CT rsaown.
BINDINGS DE Luxe.
As the publishers arc themselves pro
prictors Of one of the most widely known
binderies in the United States. this in
portant feature of the De Kock editions,
the binding, IS sure 10 receive due at
icatiou. Il will be full genuine French
levsnt morocco.
In the publishers opinion no skin for
fine binding IS equal 10 that OF the goat.
Webster says morocco IS chiefly from the
goat, though cheaper kind is made from
sheep. This definition is misleading. Mo
rocco IS goatskin, and goatskin only.
Sheepskin. according 10 the understanding
Of experts, is used for imitation.
Levant morocco IS the skin of the
monarch breed OF goat, the skin de luxe
for book binding, and in every case these
publishers and binders have found it SUI
perior TO all other skins in strength and
grain and the beauty Of finish which its
surface IS capable OF taking. The original
breed Of this goat was confined 10 the
levant, but the great demand extended its
geographical limit southwark 10 the Cape,
from which district most OF the levant
morocco is now obtained.
The ordinary Turkey morocco, so called
from the pebble grain which it takes and
TO distinguish il from the smooth and
straight-grained morocco, although it has
many qualities for durability, and in some
I measure is fine binding is far inferior
/ 70 the genuine French levant in strength,
/ grain and fexibility OF finish.
/ Never in the history of bookmaking has
such n colossal order for levant been given
as by the publishers Of the De Koek trans
lation. Lsvant of the highest grade ad-
vanced IS per cent in the French market
when the publishers placed their order.
! The war In South Africa has greatly af-
| feeted the supply. At tho commencement
| of the Boer war the goats were driven
! by their owners far into the interior OF
the mountains, and during the last three
/ yezrs, owing to the continuance OF this
war, levant has increased 40 per cent in
value. For tina three editions of De Koek
an order amounting 10 s6s,oos was placed
/ with the leading New York importer Of this
| leather. As there is not on hand enough
/
time in which to maks full delivery is
tweab1-four months. A the goats live In
| the mountains they naturally tear their
| hides on the rough rocks and many skins
are so injured thereby that they can not
ba used for the finest bindings. Each akin
Of leyazt runs from seven to ten square
! feet aud they are generally sold by the
| dozen Ordinarily the purchaser is not al
/ lowed TO select the skins. but must take
! them a. they are matched and selected by
/ the tanner. These publishers are paying
an extra premium for the privilege Of hav-
| ing Al extra selected skins, without bien-
ish, which was very seriously objected to
| by tia importers, as they claimed At the
time that they would require many hun
dred skins TO select from and possibly they
could not supply the order If insisted upon,
but they finally agreed to it
EXQUISITE "TooLING."
Each book Is 20 be Double finished and
hand fooled throughout, from original de-
signs, and az Paul De Kock was descend
ed from an cid Dutch family, and the tulip
is the National flower Of Holland this
flower will be inlaid in variegated eolors
on the outside covers, with the stem Of
the flowers running full length, the leaves
inlaid In green, and the lily OF France
running diagonally across the cover and
the color effect produced by elaborate in
lays Of leather. The back OF the book will
be smbellished with tulips and lilies in
laid The inside OF the cover will be
inlaid with tulips and lilies and each
volume will bear two solid fourteen karat
gold clasps. made from original designs in
keeping with the sumptuousness OF the
book These clasps, it is estimated. will
cost $4,000, perhaps more, Each sub
sefiher's coat OF arms will be inlaid in gold
on the ay leaf OF the book if desired.
Each volume will contain an outside hexi-
| L.. l. L. I.