Omaha daily bee., 1910-04-03
BOOEBIyDNC BY A WOMAN
Work Of Miss Cole, Who Won Honors
in Europe.
ART FASCINATING, BUT NOT A FAD
Long study Needed ~ More Than
Decoration il Aimed At-Bind-
inEs Designed to Inter
oret the Books.

NEW YORK. April Miss L. Averill
is a California girl who first started in
the work Of binding books because Of 4
natural love for books and a natural gift
Of designing. For eight years she studied
the art in Berlin, Brussels and London, ard
during the three years she spent under
Louis Jacobs in Brussels she made an ex-
haustive study Of everything pertaining
to art bookbinding. designing, Illuminating
and dyeing Of silks.
After the triumph Of obtniuing the first
prize in an international exhibition at BTus-
sells she taught binding in London and
bound books for connoisssurs such as the
duke and duchess OF Westminster, Countess
Grosvenor and Lord and lady Bcauchamp.
Then she came back to America, and an
idea Of what she has accomplished here
may be obtained from an exhibition Of her
bookbindings now being held at the book
rooms OF Houghton Mifflin company in
his city.
Look, for instance. at the copy Of Omar's
"Rubaiyat." In the dark rich coloring Of
the purple levant. the suggestion In the
panel design Of inlaid purple grape-and
green leaf and the merest hint Of delicate
gilt tracery, the very soul of the thing as
il appeared to the designer lies before you.
Il cannot comprehend the material inter
probation OF the 'Rubaiyat, - she says, the
enjoy today while yet you may, the mean
ing seems so much more subtle to me, more
spiritual. Notice the curves in the vine,
how il goes on and on. It is infinity. Sur
prise awaits you, for the interpretative
spirit nor the careful workmanship have
paused outside. The purple silk Innings are
bordered by a leather band simply decor
ated with inlaid self-toned grapes-a hint
Nof gilt
v 'Bookbinding is more than mere decora-
ton she adds. 1T is translation
'One must bring out the Individuality of
eash book. l have studied a book for
mouths before attempting to decorate it.
to get the spirit OF harmony with the text:
otherwise the thing is incomplete. Some
times the revelation is long in coming and
then flashes. Afterward l can work out
the detatL'
She places her hand on a copy OF Marcus
Aurelius.
See how austere he looks she says.
The severe gray green shades Of the
levant covers do look austere, the only
relief being the name OF the philosopher
in gilt in the center. But opening the
covers the inner side fairly dazzles witt
a uldEG Oh ullllAdAlGN NilN ud-hGAohANA 'AtN
and ~gilded-by a tedious process with hand
and microscope 90 elaborate decorations
with douhlures in levant, interlaced de
sign and inlaId red borders the contras
to this almost sombre exterior is striking
The brilliancy bursts out unexpectedly
from the inside" smiles Miss Cole. Tina
was Marcus Aurelius.
II was this piece Of work; It's workman
ship, as we'll as It's interpretative spiri
that won for Miss Cole the first prize a
an international exhibition OF arts an
crafts at Brussels, where over 200 quaiifie.
bookbinding artists competed. The dell
cate gray silk Of the inner lining Miss Col
dyed herself to secure the harmoniou
tone the workmanship is her own, as Z
the case with the most Of her work. som
Of Il being done under her direction.
Miss Cole is, perhaps, prouder Of IN
volume OF Sydney's Love Poems than q
anything else. for its binding OF crear
Ieyant is such as it is almost Impossible
to work with without staining or blemish
ing in some degree.
1t took me days 10 evolve a preparatiu
I could use In the inlaying without stain
ing" says she
But there il les-perfeet 20 look at an
reminding you Of an old Florentine missa