I am very excited to be able to announce plans for our first-ever Standards of Excellence Seminar Auction! The auction will take place in Pasadena, California during the course of our annual conference. California GBW member Joanne Page, who is coordinating the local arrangements for the conference, has arranged for us to be able to have the auction in conjunction with the annual banquet dinner. And we have already persuaded GBW member Bill Drendel from Chicago to be our first auctioneer. Bill has acted as the auctioneer for many years now for several book and paper functions in and around Chicago, and promises that we will have a lot of fun. He also assures me that he will get each bidder to overbid by at least double!
Susan Martin, who organizes the Vendor's area at each annual conference has secured a room large enough to allow us to put the auction items on view in the Vendor's room the day before, to enable everyone attending the conference to preview the items. And just what, you ask, will be up for bid at this auction? The answer to that depends upon you: since this is a fund-raising event, we will be auctioning off anything and everything we can get donated to us by you, our members. What could be better than members bidding on the items created and donated by other members? We are soliciting Þne bindings, design bindings, artists' books, blank books, boxes, albums, calligraphic and/or marbled pieces, equipment and/or supplies, accessories, you name it - we'll take it!
Although it is several months yet before the Standards Conference, please start thinking now about what you can donate. Even if you are not able to attend this years meeting in Southern California, we encourage you to contribute. In order to allow us plenty of time to make up a list of the items with descriptions (to aid the auctioneer) I ask that you please drop me a line personally as soon as possible, describing the item(s) you would like to donate and a general idea of their value (which of course may have nothing to do with how much or how little it may be sold for!) Do not send me the actual items - only the descriptions. You will be given an address later to which to send your contribution.
Proceeds from the auction will go into the Guild's general fund, to help support special projects. This could be partially underwriting the cost of a visiting lecturer, workshop, Þnancing special publications, or similar projects outside our normal budget. Let's all pitch in and contribute something to what we are sure will be a fun event. And start saving up your bidding dollars!
The Local Arrangements Committee for the 1996 Seminar in Pasadena is planning a full day of events for a pre-conference tour on Thursday, October 17. The tour will begin with a bus ride to Kater-Crafts Bookbinders to see the workings of a library binder. Mel Kavin will have arranged exhibition of the 33 design bindings he has commissioned for his recently published miniature book, You Can Judge a Book By Its Cover.
The tour will continue on to the Huntington Library and Art Gallery for lunch on the terrace overlooking the gardens. Lunch will be followed by a tour of the book and conservation labs and a special exhibition, exclusively for our group, of the Club Bindings purchased by Mr. Huntington in 1911 at the auction of the Robert Hoe Collection. Thomas Lange, the Huntington's Curator of Rare Books, told us these bindings have never before been exhibited to the public. They show a remarkable range of Þnishing techniques, structures, and variety of materials. Mr. Lange will tell us about the history of the Club Bindery, and also discuss the details of individual bindings.
On Thursday evening, the opening reception will be held at Scripps College in Claremont, where the GBW exhibition of Peter and Donna Thomas's book, PAPER, will be viewed. Buses will be available to transport everyone between the Hilton Hotel in Pasadena and Scripps College.
Joanne Page, in charge of local arrangements, says, "There is so much to see and do in the Los Angeles area that we hope you'll be able to spend a few extra days sampling the delights."
Presentations at the Seminar have all been confirmed. They will be:
There will be an increase in the fee this year for the first time since the Seminars began. We are confident that it will not stop you from registering and enjoying the quality of the presentations, the meeting with colleagues, and seeing the vendors wares. The registration fee will be $110.00, a $20.00 increase which will help us to meet our ever increasing expenses. Joanne Page and her committee are preparing a great meeting. I am looking forward to seeing you in California.
--Monique Lallier
The Study Opportunities List recently mailed out contains a couple of listings no longer valid. Under the New York listings, please remove the name of Natalie Blatt in Brooklyn. Ms. Blatt died in November 1993, as reported in this publication. In addition, the School for Sacred Art, also in New York, is no longer in operation. We will be reporting new study opportunity listings from time to time in the Workshops, Lectures and Other Events column to be added to your List.