Design

1970 · réf. 5060 — Barre: Barre Publishers 1970. Number 53 of 900 signed copies. 8vo 23x15cm unpaginated. Text printed in red throughout with black and white woodcuts by Helen Siegl and signed by her at the colophon. Three piece Bradel binding gold morocco spine red and gold marbled paper over boards beveled edges and matching endpapers. All edges painted green red and green head and tailbands. Gilt edged die-cut bell design on upper board with green morocco inlay bearing pine needles tooled and painted in gilt with a bright red morocco cardinal onlay. Small scuff along upper joint minor wear at corners in matching marbled slipcase which shows some rubbing to extremities. Nearly fine. Beautiful design binding for this book of carols with woodcuts by the Philadelphia artist Helen Siegl 1924-2009. Originally issued as loose signatures this set vividly enhanced by the work of talented Czech binder Jarmila Sobotova student of Jan Sobota. Sobotova's stamp adorns the rear pastedown. This unique binding is accompanied by an exhibition catalogue of both binders' works from the Mildred Hawn Exhibition Gallery at SMU in Dallas March 24-April 16 1995 which is signed by Sobotova and Sobota. Barre Publishers unknown