Hand Tooled Irish Craft Binding (1 results)

Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. HAND TOOLED FINE BINDING. Large 4to. (7.4 x 5 inches.). A collection of maps, engraved views, bank notes, photographs and hand written letters, one detailing the writer's travels which accompanies the photos. Engraved views and maps, some hand coloured, letters (one relating to travels across Kurdistan dressed as a Cossack, one an ill fated ships travels around the West Indies), documents, 2 signed etchings, one original pen drawing, early American passport (with small area of loss), and photos. ----- Attractive late 19th century or early twentieth century craft binding of full dark green morocco. Spine with decorative gilt border and emerald green morocco shamrock onlays. Boards with single gilt ruled borders. Each corner with circular design incorporating Fleur-de-lys and emerald green morocco onlays with gilt borders of Shamrocks. A similar design is in the centre of the board. The inner line of the border on both boards is decorated with morocco onlay and gilt shamrocks. Inner boards with wide morocco panels decorated with green leather onlay shamrocks and gilt decoration and ruled lines. Green silk endpapers, which are bit rubbed. Binders monogram G W B (possible Guild of Women Binders, but I can find no record of this book being bound by them) in gilt on the inside of the rear board. All edges gilt. The spine is a bit faded and the edges a little rubbed but overall this is still an attractive craft binding. Previous owners name, Arthur Herve Browning (A member of a Huguenot community in Portarlington, County Laois, Ireland) written in neat calligraphy to the front free endpaper. --- More photos available on request.