New-York tribune., 1903-06-09
BOOK BINDING.
Some Chapters by Discreet En-
fhusiast.

PrideaUx Illustrated. svo, pp- 2Ss. CnaiieS
Scribners Sons.
Miss Prideaux knows her SUBJECT "eii' ~
loves it. These are qualities sufficient IN 'ne
selves 10 equip a writer, but In aooi'ioi ~
them I'm addition TO the practical eApeIie
oyt ~ which she writes. she has what is most
important of all in dealing with supJe0' IN
acknowledgements sense. This discursNe
volume has indeed, value lacking 10 SUM
,,,cb more elaborate studies, for, no matter
,tbat the authors theme may be, she treats IL
with no less discretion than sympathy, always
leeninr close 10 the sound principles which are
2, fhe hcttono of her art. Perhaps she might
have spoken with little more freedom Oh Ce1
tain binders now at work in France WHO Hi'
more accomplished in craftsmanship IMAM 'iie'
are refined or even rational In taste, but al
least she does not praise them. and the Wnole
tone of her discourse makes for sobrlety IN oe-
sign and in style. To some connoisseurs lne
purely decorative binding must always remain
a, ahor,ination. but between these intensely
fastidious critics and the collectors VINO really
like the thing there stand numbers who feel
that the decorative motive is not oad' so long
as it is not carried too far. Miss Prideaux dis
passfonateIy considers the whole argument
II is in her Illuminating surveys that this
writer is most interesting and helpful Her long
cbapter on Some French Binders of To-day
is an unusually good piece Of work, presenting
the essential facts, chsracterizing with accu-
racy the different personalities involved ana
giving in short, a very vivid notion of just what
latter day masters in France have done to bring
back the glory of the golden era TO their coun-
try In the chapter on Early Stamped Bind
ing" the author addresses herself not simply to
the general reader but to publishers. She holds
h1T0PE
in a press and not by hand, and adds;
1t is very much the fashion nowadays TO
speak slightingly of all work that is not done
hv the hand The craftsman is in fashion, and to
say that thing is stamped is. 10 many persons
synonymous with saying that it is inferior, and
not worth the consideration of those who have
taste and can distinguish good things from bad
The hand of the worker must, II is consldereo, be
traced all the details Of his work, or else IL
is unworthy of notice.
Now | consider this to be q mistake. The
hand of the craftsman is very wei if it Is also
the hand Of the artist, but 1t is Tar better IN
my humble opinion. to have, as decoration for
certain purposes. stamped work designed by an
artist but mechanically produced tndn 10 see
the irregularities which are supposed, and often
supposed rightly to give value TO hand work
when they are associated with decoration that
IS meanly conceived
Miss Prideaux fortifies her contention as to
the excellence to be obtained in stamped bind
ings in the present by appealing to the past
from which she draws some charming illustra-
tions. Here again we find her using the prac-
ticaIity the good judgment, so among
writer's on her subject. One Of the best papers
in her volume is on the characteristics and
pecul!arities of Roger Payne. She passes over
the personal details which have too often been
put in the foreground and devotes herself to
Paynes work. Her estimate of Its merits is
the better for being free from all exaggeration.
Other subjects treated in this book are Some
English and Scottish Bindings Of the Last
Century" Design in Book Binding and Early
Italian Bindings" The numerous illustrations
are fine half tones from really opposite ex-
an1ples. The book is luxuriously printed. in an
edition of only five hundred copies. and it is
beautifully bound in paper covered boards, with
velIum back 1t makes one Of the most salts
factory contributions 10 the subject which we
have seen IN long time.