The Washington times., 1909-12-15
Washington Fairest Learn
To Bind Books and
illuminate Text.
WORKSHOP FOUND
IN HEART OF CITY
Names Well Known to Society In
Guided in List of Workers
EmbelliShing Books.
By SELENE ARMSTRONG.

Should the ronks Of the Middle Ages,
who, in their clustered dim lit cells,
traced patterns Of beaut' on parch-
ment and vellum. who win, brush and
pen Illuminated uissal and psIlter un-
til these became the flower Of a perfect
art-ShOuld these very same monks wake
up in Washington today, and feel a bit
lost and lonesome. / would take them
TO tho Quaintest little shop in all the
town. Here tney would feel A. home,
notwithstanding tie presence of women,
at that.
For here, the gentle arts of Hluminat-
ing and book making have been revived.
and flourish in all the perfection of
medieval days. Here the same JOY and
loving interest which made master
craftsmen of the old-time monks, have
guided the hand of many q well known
Washington woman in the fashioning Of
perfect book.
Over the Drug Store.
Room Number %. over the drug store
in the Mclean building" does not sug-
gest any OF the fine arts. perhaps. Yet
II IS this very room that has been con-
verted into bookbindery, I'm which one
sees such modern volumes AS Little Sis
ter snow" by one of our popular pres
ent day writers, stripped Of its conven-
uonal binding, and enCaSed in one OF
design so rare and workmanship so
charming that it might have belonged
TO a book shelf Of SEQ years ago.
Time was, my dear, when a woman
could exist without either intellect or
accomplishment further than faintinE
gracefully or playing airs on the spinet
But the woman of today Is a creature
of flesh and blood with heart and brain.
A creature who does things. Show me
the woman who does not work at some
thing or other. and I viii prove TO you
that she is decidedly hipped.
That Is why a visit 10 Room No. ~,
over the drug store is as good
sermon. The place Is a workshop.
And here there have gathered with
sleeves rolled to the elbow, and gowns
protected by big checked aprons, many
Of the bellies and beauties of Washing
ton. Miss Edith Root, now Mrs L. =.
Grant, third, took her first lessons IN
book binding here. and number Of the
choice volumes now In the Root library
were in this little shop stripped Of their
store bought" bindings, and clothed in
soft leaven morocccs traced In gold.
Miss Alice Wilson
MiszwAIlce Wilson. the young daugh-
ter OF Mr.. and Mrs Nathaniel Wilson,
IS devotee Of the art. ana among the
treasures Of some OF her close pc rsonaI
friends are dainty volumes bound by
her.
Mrs Charles Marsh is another woman.
who with the savoir faire or the woman
Of the world, combines the energy and
enthusiasm that make for real achieve
ment. Any morning, she may be seen
designing book cover. or working
away with tool and crush In this same
little shop will be bound the presenta-
ton copies of his new book. soon to be
issued from the press. which her father,
Admiral RObley d. Evans. will send TO
the German Emperor and TO Prince
Henry Of Prussia
The interesting daughters Of Mr. and
Mrs. Henry Cleveland Perkins are
craftsmen OF skill and talent. and other
women who have gone TO the. little
shop 20 become expert binders are Mrs.
Ernest Howe, Mrs. Walter Dunlap (nee
Schafer). Mrs. Virginia Dabney Cnee
View landSl. Mrs ROveTt Van Horn, who
was Miss Lucretia lie Bourceois: Miss
dc Smirnoff, Miss Lazier, Miss Wash
burn. and others
In several Of the choicest libraries I'm
Washington there are splendid volumes
with covers as artistic as their con-
tents. The soft. dun morOccos, traced
IN gold and inlaid with bits OF bright
red or olive green leather. make book
coverings that one recognizes at once
as the output Of the little shop I'm which
books have been bound for the Libraries
or Mr.. and Mrs. Larz Anderson, Score
tarY and Mrs Root Mrs. Julian James
Mrs. John Bolt, the Skaters, and tho
WetmOres.
Skill and Talent.
The binding OF a book calls for boil
skin and talent. The book 10 be bound
is first sewed stoutIy together. and also
glued, then boarded with heavy paste
board The leather with (which this d.
covered has TO be scraped carefully
before being put ON.
The process % OTnamcntatiOn Is
especially interesting The pattern
is drawn on tracing paper, which
paper is laid on the feather covered
hook. over this are passed hot tools
which leave on tho leather a faint
impression OF the pattern. The pat
hern tracing is then gone over witt
= brush dipped i'm CLAIRE, or sort OF
glue, and with grease, and upon 10 is
laid the leaf gold. This is fooled
through. on the lines of tho pattern
and bits Of leather may De iuIaid
which contrast with the color of IN,
binding.
For hundreds Of wears the gentle
art Of bOOkbindinG, ard its sister art
Illuminating, have appealed peculiar
" 90 women. and Oncr advantages
not only as a pastimc, but as pro
fessiOn.
Good illuminators are always ir
demand, and the woman of artists
talent can. with small expenditure o
time and money, equip herself for
profession which instead OF bcinl
overcrowcsd offers rare opp0rtuni
ties to the skilled.