CONTENTS
Exhibitions
Abecedarium Exhibit
Here it is October and the Abecedarium exhibit finally opens. I am really looking forward to installing it at the hotel for the Standards Seminar. It’s one thing to look at work individually or in slides, but quite another to see it showcased in vitrines with the unique relationships that develop.
And I hope you enjoy our exciting catalogue. The thirty-nine pieces by forty of our members are shown in living color. If you can’t catch the show at one of its venues, you can see it on line at <http://palimpsest. stanford.edu/byorg/gbw> and/or purchase a catalogue for $20 plus s&h, $3 in the US, $6 overseas (cash, check or money order in US dollars) by writing, e-mailing or calling Barbara Metz after October 30. (Barbara Metz, 1420 W. Irving Park, Chicago, IL 60613, tel: 773-549-5324; e-mail: B-lazarmetz@ nwu.edu)
The exhibition will be on view at the Greensboro Hilton during the Standards Seminar, but the date of the official opening of the exhibition at the Greensboro Public Library is October 30th.
Members have been most generous in support of the catalogue. To date, Margaret Johnson, Karen Crisalli, Heinke Pensky-Adams and one anonymous member have sent contributions. Of those with pieces in the exhibit, donations have been received from Cathy Atwood, Barbara Blumenthal, Elaine Downing, Madelyn Garrett, Jenny Hille, Monique Lallier, Don Etherington, William Laufer, Emily Martin, Patricia Owen, Eleanore Ramsey, Susan Rotolo, Mary Ann Sampson, Don Sanders, Claire Jeanine Satin, Joanne Sonnichsen, Cris Clair Takacs and Laura Wait.
Our suppliers have really been wonderful. Contributions have been received from Gaylord Bros., University Products, J. Hewit & Sons, Ltd., Library Binding Service, Harmatan Leather Ltd., R. Marchetti & Bros., Inc., Wei T’O Associates, Inc., Shepherd Bookbinders Ltd., Acme Bookbinding, The Japanese Paper Place (Toronto), and Ocker & Trapp Library Bindery, Inc.. Please support them as much as you can.
I hope I will see many of you at the seminar. See this Newsletter’s Calendar for a list of venues for 1999. [Web Ed. Note: The calendar is not available in the online version the GBW Newsletter .]
Barbara Lazarus Metz, Exhibition chair
(Note: With this year’s exhibition almost wrapped-up, Barbara is starting to think about our next exhibition, in the year 2000. What would be a good theme for that exhibition? If you have a thought about the subject, send it along to Barbara. Two years is a short time to pull together a major exhibition.)
GBW Scholarships 1998
Cris Clair Takacs, Scholarship Chairman, has announced the three members selected to attend this year’s Standards Seminar in Greensboro. They are:
Ellen Strong
strongbind@hotmail.com
Linda Rollins
capella@aksi.net
Marylyn Hoy Bennett
m-bennett2@ti.com
The scholarships pay the Seminar fee, plus hotel accommodations for the recipients. Money for the Scholarship Fund comes from part of the proceeds of the Auction held at the previous year’s Seminar.
GBW Website
There has been some confusion about which Guild publications are available on the Web.
The Guild’s Study Opportunities List is now available on the Web. Peter Verheyen has recently updated it. The URL is palimpsest.stanford.edu/ byorg/gbw/studind.html.
If you teach classes, and want to be listed, or wish to correct your entry, please contact Peter directly at pdverhey@ dreamscape.com.
The Guild of Book Workers Newsletter is available at http://palimpsest.stanford.edu/byorg/gbw. (The most recent issues will not be available electronically, you must be a member of the Guild to read these.)
The catalogue for the Guild Members’ Exhibition opening in October in Greensboro, NC, will be available online at the same Guild address as the Newsletter.
The Guild’s Library Catalogue is now available through the University of Iowa at: <www.lib.uiowa. edu/spec-coll-NARRFIN.htm>. You may down-load the catalogue, or scroll through it to find the items you need. [Web Ed. Note: Since the time of publication, the address has changed. The correct address is: www.lib.uiowa.edu/spec-coll/gbw/GBW1.RHTML.
The supply directory is not online! Members receive a copy whenever the Directory is updated, or at the time of joining the Guild. Non-members may buy a Directory by contacting the Guild of Book Workers.
Phoebe Jane Easton and Robin Heyeck will be speaking at the symposium at Harvard on October 29th celebrating Harvard’s acquisition of an outstanding sampling of marbled papers from Phoebe Easton’s collection. The papers, which have been acquired by Harvard’s department of Printing and Graphic Arts, will be on view in the Widener Memorial Rotunda.
Erin Loftus, past president of the Potomac Chapter, has accepted a job in Columbia, S.C. She will be the new Assistant Conservator at the University of South Carolina. She will also work on the University’s Thomas Cooper Library, and, in addition, serve the Library of South Carolina, a separate institution. Erin and Jeanne Drewes, Head of Preservation at the Milton S. Eisenhower Library of Johns Hopkins University, traveled to Cuba recently to demonstrate a Spanish language version of the Calipr™ software for doing needs assessments of collections. They attended a conference co-sponsored by NEDCC and the National Archives of Cuba.
While in Cuba, they also visited Ediciones Vigia, a group of independent book publishers in Matanzas, and spent some time with the artists and writers there. Bob Muens, one of the founding members of the Potomac Chapter and the man who films most of our Seminars, was there as well to drop off the contributions of tools and materials he has been soliciting, via the Internet, for Ediciones Vigia. Jeanne Drewes gave a slide lecture on the Ediciones Vigia to the Potomac Chapter at their September 9th meeting.
Nancy Schrock, Chief Collections Conservator for the Harvard College Library, was elected Treasurer of AIC this summer.
Abigail Quandt, Conservator at The Walters Art Gallery in Baltimore, Md., taught a seminar and masterclass on parchment and vellum in Dundee, Scotland, in September. The masterclass included consolidation techniques for pigment layers and recent innovations in the repair of parchment and vellum.
Visitors this spring to the Bookbinding Department of the North Bennet Street School included Scott Kellar of Chicago, former conservator at Northwestern, now working privately, and Steve Miller, Printing Instructor and Director of the University of Alabama’s MFA program. Mr. Miller brought books and gave a slide presentation to the students on his program.
New graduates of NBSS who are members of GBW, include Sonja Reid ’98 who is continuing on part-time as Conservation Technician at the Harvard Medical School’s Countway Library. Sonja is also assisting John Carrera ’96 at the New England Historical Genealogical Society performing book repair and conservation treatments. Heidi Ferrini ’98 is working at the Clapp Library, Wellesley College, performing book repair treatments, making enclosures, and supervising the work-study student in the bindery. Heidi also does private work. Judith Conty ’98 will be teaching a bookbinding apprenticeship class to Boston school children under the auspices of Citizens Schools. She is working on numerous projects and private work in binding and repair.
Jeff Altepeter ’99 started the summer in Telluride, Colo. at a workshop taught by Tini Miuri on French Leather Binding. He’s now back in Boston working as manager at Frameworks and assisting Lori Foley ’95 at Harvard’s Tozzer Library with collections care and conservation. Alison Kuller ’99 is working privately doing albums, boxes, and some repair.
The private collection of 20th-century bindings belonging to Jane W. Pearce is being exhibited until October 10 in the Ethel H. Blum Gallery of the College of the Atlantic in Bar Harbor, Maine. Featured in the publicity for the exhibition is Eleanore Ramsey’s binding of the Chelonidae Press book, A Fowl Alphabet. The book contains 26 wood engravings by Alan James Robinson and calligraphy by Suzanne Moore. It was commissioned by Jane Pearce and will be included in the Guild’s exhibition Abecedarium, opening in Greensboro in October. It was shown last winter in the Hand Bookbinders of California Annual Members’ Exhibition in San Francisco.
Bay Area News
For the first time on the West Coast, prospective bookbinders have the opportunity to enroll in a Craft Bookbinding course, sponsored by the Hand Bookbinders of California. The instructors, binders Gillian Boal, Dominic Riley and John DeMerritt, all members of the Hand Bookbinders of California (John and Dominic are GBW members, as well), are beginning a 30-week course on October 1st. The course is aimed at students who have some basic bookbinding experience and wish to learn traditional structures and techniques. Classes will be held once a week at the San Francisco Center for the Book. The class size is limited to eight students, in order to give the necessary attention to each.
The Hand Bookbinders of California 26th Annual Members’ Exhibition opens November 5th in the Skylight Gallery of the San Francisco Public Library, co-sponsored by the Book Arts & Special Collections Center of the Library. It continues until December 31, 1998. Since the late 1970’s, the Hand Bookbinders has sponsored exhibitions of members’ work, for many years in the front windows of John Howell Books, near Union Square, until this famous shop closed its doors. After a number of years at other venues throughout the Bay Area, the Hand Bookbinders show was welcomed home by the San Francisco Public Library, where exhibitions have taken place since 1993.
The work of punchcutter, typefounder, compositor and printer Dan Carr and artist and illustrator Julia Ferrari is on view now at The Book Club of California. Their Golgonooza Letter Foundry and Press in Ashuelot, N.H., is well known in this area of fine press printers.
Also on view at The Book Club is work by Gloria Stuart, Southern California printer and, more recently, actress, who appeared as a survivor in the film "Titanic".
The San Francisco Center for the Book celebrated its second anniversary with a reception for the Stinehour Press of Vermont while the press’s work was exhibited at the Center. In June at the Center, Judith Hoffberg’s work was on view and Gabriel Rummonds came for a book-signing and publication party for his book, Printing on the Iron Hand Press. In July, Claire Bolton, of Alembic Press in Oxfordshire, England, gave a gallery talk and a Miniature Book workshop; Louise Genest gave a slide lecture on "An Ancient Architecture: Art in Contemporary Bookbinding" and a workshop on Exposed Spine Binding sponsored by the Hand Bookbinders.
The Hand Bookbinders and PCBA (Pacific Center for Book Arts) have held numerous workshops all summer long, some at the Center, some in private studios. PCBA’s annual picnic was held in September, its biennial auction in June.
September sees the beginning of the Colophon Club lecture and dinner season with a talk by Jim Sherraden from Hatch Show Print, printers for the Country Music industry, in Nashville, Tenn.
Bryn Mawr College Library Exhibition
On September 23, 1998, the Bryn Mawr College Library, under the auspices of the Friends of the Library, opened the exhibition, It’s the Ticket: Nineteenth-Century Bookbinding in the British Isles and the United States. The exhibition, curated by Wilman Spawn, focuses on documented bookbindings from the Rare Book Collection of the Library, which recently acquired 219 ticketed bookbindings from the British Isles in the Joanna Semel Rose Collection.
In conjunction with the exhibition there will be a series of lectures and round-table discussions on documented bindings. The first of the series, a talk on September 23rd, will be followed on October 21 by a discussion during the day on documented bookbinding research, and a talk after dinner by Bernard Middleton on "The Evolution of British Fine Bindings between 1770 and 1840". On March 16, 1999, Sue Allen will talk on "‘This Most Miserable Muslin’: Early Struggles to Make Book Cloth Inviting". On April 14, 1999, Mirjam Foot will talk on "From Craft to Industry, Changes in the Binding Trade in Britain in the Early Nineteenth Century".
Wilman Spawn has been working with Thomas E. Kinsella on a book on The Joanna Semel Rose Collection of British Bindings which will describe the significance of the Collection’s bindings. The book will include descriptions, illustrations, and depictions of the tickets of the 219 British Isles bindings with dates ranging from 1783 to 1910. Dr. Kinsella is Assistant Professor of British Literature at the Richard Stockton College of New Jersey.
No date has been given for publication of the book, or for the final date of the exhibition. For further information, contact Friends of the Bryn Mawr College Library, Mariam Coffin Canaday Library, 101 North Merion Ave., Bryn Mawr, PA 19010-2899.
Oak Knoll Books Moves (A Block Away)
Oak Knoll Books reopened on August 31 in their larger, more spacious home. They say their new home is on the third floor of a stately, renovated Victorian opera house complete with elevator for easy access. New address: 308 Delaware Street, New Castle, DE 19720. Phone, fax, email, and web address remain the same. Phone is: 302-328-7232.
Handbridge Bindery Moves
The Handbridge Bindery, Inc., proprietor, Glenn Fukunaga, has relocated and expanded. On September 1st they moved from South Congress Avenue, Austin, to 800 Lamar Blvd., Austin, TX 78704. tel: 512-445-4544; fax: 512-445-2927.
L’ARA President- Founder Dies
Marcel Garrigou, President-Founder of Les Amis de la Reliure d’Art (Friends of the Art of Bookbinding), the international non-profit association for bookbinding, died June 7th, at the age of 82.
Monsieur Garrigou, a highly successful businessman in France, was active in many areas and was an avid book collector and bibliophile. In 1982, along with several friends, he founded L’ARA, and in 1988, he set up the First Forum International de la Reliure (F.I.R.A.) which was held in Monaco. Since that time, five Forums have been held. The next, the Sixth Forum, will be held in Venice, Italy, in April 1999. In 1996, the L’ARA International, a federation of all the ARA groups, was begun at the meeting in Montreal.
J. Hewit & Sons Wins Award
J. Hewit & Sons Ltd, whose bookbinding leather is used by many of our members, have recently come in second in the small business category of the Positive Steps Award. The award recognizes the contribution made by industry towards reducing pollution, minimizing waste and encouraging sustainable use of resources. It was initiated by the East of Scotland Water and Zeneca Grangemouth.
At the prize-giving, J. Hewit & Sons Ltd. was commended as a company that operated in a very environmentally aware manner and they were singled out as an excellent example of a firm using a substitution policy involving safer alternatives in the place of hazardous materials. Mention was made of their record in the recycling of materials and their consistent use of sustainable products.
Regrettably, they were beaten for first place, and the prize of two thousand pounds, by a printed circuit board manufacturer.
Society of Bookbinders’ Silver Jubilee Conference
The Society of Bookbinders will hold its 25th year event on July 1 - 4, 1999 on the Priorslee Campus, University of Shropshire, Telford, Shropshire. A Trade Fair will run throughout the conference.
Lecturers include Dr. Marian Tidcombe of the British Library, David Pearson of the Wellcome Institute, Susan Bradbury of the Folio Society, and others. Maureen Duke, Terry Buckley and Howard Milrose, marblers Ann Muir, Victoria Hall and Christopher Howlatt will all give demonstrations. Visits to various studios and archives have been planned, as well as some short sessions on basic techniques for those relatively new to the craft.
Full details of the program will shortly be available on the Society’s webpage: www.socbkbind.com. For further information and booking form, contact Roy Fell, 19 Scott Rd., Walsall, WS5 3JN, U.K.. The Society’s e-mail address is: bookbin@socbkbind. com.
Camberwell Offers BA & MA Courses
Camberwell College of Arts (The London Institute) is recruiting for its three-year BA (Hons) and one- or two-year MA programs in the conservation of paper and organic materials. Courses are administered by the Conservation Centre.
The MA is designed for those who already have a degree in conservation or a related subject. It provides high-level education in specialist areas of conservation including fine art on paper, library and archive materials, books, and photographs. For further information, contact Frederick Bearman, Director, The Conservation Centre, Camberwell College of Arts, Wilson Road, London SE5 8UL, UK. Fax: +44 171 514 6425; email: f.bearman@camb.linst.ac.uk
Marilyn Kemp Weidner Made AIC Honorary Member
At the 26th Annual Meeting of the American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works on June 5, 1998, Marilyn Kemp Weidner was made an AIC Honorary Member in recognition of her outstanding contributions to the field of conservation.
A pioneer for over forty years in her work in the conservation of art and artifacts on paper, Ms. Weidner was well known for the invention and development of the suction table for the treatment of artifacts on porous supports. Her innovative development of a combined moisture chamber/suction table system received a U.S. patent in 1993.
Ms. Weidner studied paper conservation at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, chemistry at Hofstra University, and she learned about Japanese mounting techniques at the Freer Gallery of Art. She ran a private conservation business in Philadelphia from 1960 to 1979, and in 1977 she founded the Conservation Center of Art and Historic Artifacts (CCAHA) in Philadelphia. In 1984, she re-established her private practice, the Weidner Conservation Laboratory, which continues today in Philadelphia.
Ms. Weidner has shared her knowledge and experience through writing, speaking and teaching worldwide, including Florence at the time of the 1966 flood. She was a founding member of the Washington Conservation Guild and she initiated the Collections Care Training Program in Philadelphia, which is now run under the auspices of the Mid-Atlantic Association of Musuems and the University of Delaware.
Treasures From the Libraries of the National Trust at the Grolier
A major exhibition, the first of its kind, Treasures from the Libraries of the National Trust, will open in New York on February 24. It will be on view at the Grolier Club, 47 East 60th Street, until April 17th. This exhibit of some of the extraordinary and historic collections of books and manuscripts in the care of the National Trust is jointly sponsored by the Royal Oak Foundation and the Grolier Club of New York. The books and mss. come from stately homes such as Blickling, Anglesey Abbey, Ickworth, Kingston, Lacy Kedleston and Charlecote. The exhibition will be curated by Nicolas Barker, former Keeper of Books at the British Museum. A major illustrated catalogue will be available from The Veatchs Arts of the Book, P.O. Box 328, Northampton, MA 01060; tel: 413-584-1867; fax: 413-584-2751; email: Veatch@aol.com. For further information about the exhibit, call Ms. Damaris Horan at 212-966-6565, ext 202, or visit the Royal Oak website at www.royal-oak.org.
Harvard University’s Department of Printing and Graphic Arts has recently acquired an outstanding sampling of marbled papers from the very important collection of Phœbe Jane Easton. The collection will be on display at Harvard in the Widener Memorial Rotunda from October 29th through December 22nd. On Thursday, October 29th there will be a symposium in the Houghton Exhibition Room at Harvard to celebrate the coming of the collection. Speakers will be Phoebe Jane Easton, Robin Heyeck and Feridun Özgören. They will speak on the history, production and collection of marbled paper. The event is open to the public. The symposium will be followed at 5:30 pm by a reception and a viewing of the exhibition in the Widener Memorial Rotunda.
Currently being shown at the Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington, DC, is an exhibit, Porcelains and Papers, highlighting marbled and decorative papers from the collection of the late Polly Lada-Mocarski.
Marbling tip:
Many marblers have problems with water-based cadmium reds not adhering well to their paper, or going too pale in hot weather. The carrageenan size tends to be slightly less viscous in hot weather, and the cadmiums are a lead-based pigment with a high specific gravity. What this means is that with a less viscous size, the weight of the pigment causes some of the paint to start sinking below the surface of the size fairly quickly. This is nearly impossible to see happening, but you do notice, that while the red still looks bright on the size, the paper comes up pale, and too much pigment lands on the bottom of the tray. Many marblers make the mistake of trying to use less ox-gall or a more concentrated paint to darken the color. This only aggravates the problem. The solution I find that works best is to actually thin down the paint with a little distilled water, or add a tiny bit of extra ox-gall. This tends to equalize things a bit with the less viscous size, and surprisingly, the red will work better.
New York University
Division of Libraries
Conservation Technician
NYU Bobst Library is seeking an experienced conservation technician to work on circulating, non-rare material in our book conservation lab. Responsibilities include performing various treatments on a variety of cloth, paper and leather bindings, such as resewing, recasing and rebacking. Other treatments include the construction of drop-spine boxes and other enclosures, paper treatments (mending, dry cleaning, washing and flattening) and ultrasonic encapsulation. Duties also include assisting in the maintenance of environmental monitoring equipment, supervising student workers and identifying and documenting treatment needs. Technicians also assist the Conservator with special projects.
Requirements
At least one year of book conservation experience, including
knowledge of current book and paper conservation techniques and
performing treatment and repair, preferably in an institutional
library setting; proficiency using conservation tools and equipment,
and familiarity with word processing, spreadsheet and database
software. A portfolio of completed treatment work is required at the
time of interview (actual work is preferable to slides or photos).
Please don’t send portfolio with resume!
NYU offers a competitive salary and benefit package including comprehensive medical and dental coverage, tuition remission for self and family (including domestic partners), and generous vacation and holidays.
NYU encourages applications from women and members of minority groups.
Please send cover letter
and resume to:
Danielle Haslam Schuman, Human Resources Coordinator
NYU Bobst Library, 11th Floor
70 Washington Square South
New York NY 10012
Copyright Laws for Calligraphers & Book Artists
Part one: What is copyright and how to obtain copyright permission.
Copyright is protection provided by the laws of the United States for both published and unpublished work of authors and artists. Section 106 of the 1976 Copyright Act grants the owner of the copyright exclusive rights to use, and to authorize use of their work. Copyright is a form of "intellectual property law" and protects original works created in tangible form, including; literary, dramatic, musical, choreographic, pictorial and sculptural works, motion pictures, sound recordings, and architectural works. Copyright does not protect facts, ideas, systems or methods of operation, titles, familiar symbols or designs, variations of typographic ornamentation, coloring or lettering. Anyone who reproduces texts by other authors in their own work is required to obtain copyright permission. This includes translations and any work not in the public domain. What are your chances of being prosecuted for copyright violation in a one-of-a-kind calligraphic broadside or book? Slim probably, but why take the chance?
Obtaining copyright permission is a simple procedure. To obtain copyright permission to use a protected work, you must contact the owner of that copyright. If you are working from a published edition of a text, copyright information may be found on the title page, or the back of the title page. Copyright is usually held by the publisher, not the writer. Many poets must relinquish reprint rights of their work once it has been published, so you must contact the publisher rather than the actual author. You may want to first get permission from the author since it may make a difference to the publishing company that the author is amenable to your request of using the work.
The process may take a few days or weeks or longer. Large publishing houses may have a legal department or staff to handle this work, but many do not. It is important to give accurate information when requesting copyright permission. Phoning in the information does not necessarily speed up the procedure. You should address your written request to the Copyrights and Permissions Department. For books: list author’s, editor’s, and/or translator’s full name(s); title, edition and volume number of book or journal; copyright date; place of publication; ISBN for book and ISSN for journals and magazines; and numbers of exact pages including chapter numbers and figures and illustrations you wish to use. Give a brief explanation of how you will use the work. Will it be a one-of-a-kind piece, or an edition? Include a self-addressed stamped envelope for reply.
Depending on how you wish to use the requested work, a one-of-a-kind piece or a large edition, responses may vary. A few publishers have written a note of permission directly onto my letter of request and returned it. Larger publishing companies may have a simple contract which must be signed by both parties with the detailed conditions. For example, a one time use of the material within a certain time frame, what you intend on charging for the finished work, how the copyright permission should be documented on the finished piece, and any financial compensation charged.
Article 1, Section 8 of the Constitution states, that copyright is "...To promote the progress of science and useful arts, by securing for limited times to authors and inventors the exclusive right to their respective writings and discoveries." Copyright holders may charge a small fee for use of their material and request a copy of the completed edition. In determining the fee for use of a work, one publishing company I dealt with wanted to know what percentage of the book the poem would occupy!
I have enjoyed corresponding and collaborating with writers and find them to be most gracious in allowing me to use their work, with few restraints. Many authors are pleased to have their work exist in many forms. A one-of-a-kind book or broadside, or even a small edition, most likely will not take away from trade edition sales. However, this is not sufficient reason for NOT obtaining copyright permission from an author. When dealing directly with a writer, I include all of the pertinent text information listed above, and send slides or examples of my work. This gives the author a chance to visualize how the text will be treated. Always include a self-addressed stamped envelope for reply. Copyright holders have the right to refuse copyright permission. If this happens, let it go, it isn’t worth the hassle, especially when there is so much good writing out there.
You do not need permission to use literary works that are in the public domain. This means that their copyright has expired. Common examples would be the Bible and Shakespeare’s writings. If you are in doubt about the status of a copyright, it is best to check first. Lack of a copyright symbol or notation on the work does not mean it is in the public domain. And, even if using work from the public domain, credit the author with the work. If you cannot find record of copyright ownership, the Copyright Office will search its records for a fee.
To speak with an information specialist, call 202-707-3000 or 202-707-5959, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. Recorded information is available 24 hours a day.
To request Copyright Office publications write to the Copyright Office (address below). There is no charge for circulars. I used Circular 1, "Copyright Basics" in preparing this article and the FAQ/ Frequently Asked Questions on the Library of Congress Website. Circular 2, "Publications on Copyright", lists other materials published by the Copyright Office.
Publications Section, lm-455, Copyright Office, Library of Congress, 101 Independence Avenue, S.E., Washington, D.C. 20559-6000
You will find copyright information on the Library of Congress home page, lcweb.loc.gov.
Next time I will discuss copyrighting your own work and "fair use" laws of using copyrighted texts in teaching.
Typography on the Web
As expected, most of the typography sites on the Web deal with electronic fonts, copyright issues of such fonts, and downloading. However, there are a few sites that deal with the history of typography.
The site for Woodtype (www.type-high.com) has a gallery of work using wood typefaces, articles on the history of wood typefaces, and a bibliography. In the resource area there is information on museums that have exhibits of wood typefaces and the address of a supply company.
At Typographic (www.rsub.com/typo) there is a history of typography with a time line featuring significant people and dates, as well as a chart showing the evolution of letterforms. The glossary of this site has links to other definitions. Its bibliography section lists relevant books and journal articles, as well as a number of links to other sites of typographical interest.
Graphion Typesetting (www.slip.net/~graphion) has included a glossary with figures to its business website. Plus, there are short explanations for elements of typesetting style.
In a more expected vein, The Fontsite (www. fontsite.com) is devoted, in magazine form, to digital typography and design. There are fonts available to download , free and for sale. In association with Amazon Books, this site offers a bookstore with discounted prices.
Internet Type Foundry Index (www.typeindex.com) is a good starting place for type information. Everything is dated on this site, so you can see how current the information is. There is a bookstore, also linked to Amazon.Com. I liked that the Webmaster is forthcoming about the division of income from sales on the Web for a site that is affiliated with an online bookstore. The index is linked to the home pages of type foundries and distributors. It can also be searched by category, including distributors, commercial foundries, type designers, and type resources.
At Point Central (www.point-central.com ) you can order fonts by style, plus other software and utilities used by graphic artists. There are several fonts available for viewing online, so you don’t need to know the name of what you want.
Typeright (www.typeright.org) is concerned with copyright issues. Its stated purpose is "to promote typefaces as creative works and to advocate their legal protection as intellectual property". There is news of legal actions concerning copyright, and a guide to the ethics of type design. Within this document is a history of typeface design, the role of the type-designer, with sections on gray areas and piracy, and legal information with copyright and protection data.
On a much lighter note, The Internet Typeface Design Project (www.arlington.com/~reckless/ITDP.html) is an internet version of "telephone" or "exquisite corpse". The art object is passed around and altered by each player in turn. Previous rounds’ creations are on display at the site, plus information on how to contact the designer.
Sans Serif (www.quixote.com/serif/sans) is the online companion to Serif: The Magazine of Type & Typography. At present, this contains news stories that are updated frequently, and there is a plan to list events of interest, as well.
Somewhat off the type design path, I found a site (typospace.drikka.net) that deals with the concept of dynamic information, meaning the way information is presented, represented and communicated, specifically using the Web. There are three different versions of this site, depending on the capabilities of the browser and the computer used to access it. I used the most advanced version. On this site, the information "moves". It is not anchored by links or the back button. The information can scroll or flip; it seems fluid, rather than linear. I found it interesting to show what the Web can be or how it could be used.
Comments, questions or suggestions please: lapidow@opal.tufts.edu
Marie-Ange Doizy. De
la Dominoterie à# la Marbrure. Paris: Art &
Métíers du Livre.# Èditions, 1996. 255pp.
22x29cm. Black and white and color illusrations. Text in French.
FF490 (about $85). ISBN 2-911071-01-8. Available from The
Bookbinder’s Warehouse, 6001 66th Avenue, Suite 101, Riverdale,
MD 20737; 301-459-3384.
Reviewed by Joanne Sonnichsen.
Without looking, what do you remember about the covers or end sheets of the books you are now reading? Unless you are unusually observant, your answer will probably be, "nothing." If you are reading an older book or a hand-bound book, however, you may remember being delighted with its colorful marbled papers, handsome printed papers, or a striking paste-paper design. Despite the industrialisation of the book in the nineteenth century, the many arts of the hand-printed book have not vanished. Thanks to historians, bibliographers, and the men and women who are still working with the arts of the hand-made book, including decorated paper, the tradition continues to evolve.
Drawing from her own extensive collection and also from library and museum collections, Mme. Doizy traces the development of these papers from the wood-block images of the Middle Ages to the work of today’s designers. In describing the development of different methods and styles, she reminds her readers that although these techniques developed simultaneously in the different countries of Europe, the results were more successful in some countries than others, so that France, Italy, Germany, and England were each noted for their different papers. The development of all of these decorated papers make up the first section of this extended, multi-sectioned study by Marie-Ange Doizy.
The term, "dominoterie," or "papier dominoté," refers to papers decorated by wood-block (and, later, metal-plate) impressions. Those designs were small and repetitive, most often geometric or floral. The first mention of "dominotiers" in France is found in the Book of Occupations of 1260. By the 16th century a French dictionary carries three definitions of the word, "domino": a wearer of a mask (with or without cloak), a wood engraver, or a cutter of images. The first decorated sheets were black and white. By the eighteenth century, however, they were printed in color -; from monochrome to multi-colored sheets -; and used either as flyleaves for leather-covered books or as covers themselves for less expensive books.
A new technique was devised in Germany at the end of the seventeenth century: Buntpapier (later known in France as "papiers doré-gaufrés." These golden papers, inspired by damasked fabrics, were most popular in Germany, Holland, and Italy. Their methods of fabrication, from a simple painted sheet to those that included several forms of decoration and color, is well examined by Doizy.
Paste papers are included under the heading, "dominoterie," although they are not printed. Because of ease of preparation, paste papers were used as a less expensive form of decorative paper for books than marbled papers. They are, however, individually hand-made, and contemporary paste papers can be striking, as illustrated in the section of Contemporary Papers.
A history of eastern and western marbling follows that of printed papers. Doizy begins with the legend of the secret of making suminagashi. The god, Kasuga, revealed the secret to an ancestor of the Hiroba family as a reward for his devotion. The Hiroba family, now in its fifty-seventh generation of paper decorators, is one of several families of suminagashi makers currently active in Japan.
The question of the earliest "floating-ink-papers," which could have come from China or Korea, is also discussed. Recent discoveries and studies indicate that paper for calligraphy may have existed in China as early as 200 B.C., three hundred years before the currently accepted date of 105 A.D. Chinese marbling, known as "liu sha chien," may have existed as early as the sixth century B.C. The study, still in its infancy, of Korean marbling may bring a different claimant to the invention of water marbling.
In the arts of paper decoration, as used in books, the history of Turkish marbling is probably the best known. The colors used for marbled paper are sprinkled or dropped on a size, which is a thicker support than plain water (as used in suminagashi). This additional thickness allows more control when manipulating the colors, and size-marbled papers are very different from water-marbled papers.
Doizy gives the history of Turkish, or "size-" marbling from its development in the Middle East through its adoption in the west, adding delightful human stories as she goes: "Towards the end of the sixth century, paper was ... used along with parchment. Chosroès II (590-628) disliked the odor of parchment and so ordered a yellow Chinese paper permeated with rose water, which the calif Omar used in Mecca in 650."
Once the Turkish marbled papers arrived in the west, they became quite popular. By the seventeenth century, written descriptions of them were no longer confined to travelers’ tales. Although the secret process was carefully guarded by marblers, some literature did appear describing the process. The most accurate is included in five pages of the Book of Secrets, a manuscript bound in parchment. Even the formulas for preparing the colors are given. Doizy gives the full text in modern French within the chapter and includes the original seventeenth century text in her Annex.
Marbling designs from the seventeenth century to the present are described, named, and fully illustrated, mostly in color. Stone patterns, Old Dutch, Oak Leaf, Shell, Cat’s Eye, Bouquet, Comb, and Flame are just a few of the patterns discussed.
Most of the section on marbling is involved with hand marbling in different parts of Europe; however, machines for mechanical marbling came into use in the late nineteenth century. Doizy’s discussion includes a reproduction of the patent for the machine granted in France in 1908.
The section of contemporary techniques and examples gives instructions for making paste papers, hand-printed papers, suminagashi, and hand-marbled papers as they are being produced today. Examples of such papers follow with a unique format. Colored reproductions of contemporary papers take up more than one half the page (13 cm x 29 cm). with some reproduced full page. The inner portion of the page gives the following information, provided by the designer: the type of technique (block-print, paste paper, etc.), materials needed and type of paper used, and instructions for duplicating that particular sheet. Information about the designers follows.
Because of the vertical format, each page can be gently rolled in order to compare different papers easily. Since each paper decorator has written about his or her own methods, the instructions vary from person to person, assuming different levels of experience from the reader. Few experienced paper decorators will have a problem with the instructions, but a novice might want to consult someone with more experience before beginning to produce a finished sheet.
The preceding section will be of primary interest to collectors and to other paper designers. The last section, the Annex, will appeal to collectors and historians. Ten pages are devoted to museum and library collections in France, England, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, the Netherlands, Denmark, Italy, the United States, Turkey, India, and Japan, citing the special strengths of each collection. The four-page bibliography (of books in several languages) will help the reader to find more material on specific areas of paper decoration. This is followed by addresses of paper decorators (for those who would like to buy or to commission special papers directly from the source), paper workshops (for those who would like to learn), and addresses in Paris where decorated papers are sold.
Marie-Ange Doizy has grappled with a complex and fascinating study. She has presented it clearly and efficiently and with enough detail to make some parts read like a captivating novel. The illustrations, maps, and reproductions, many in color, give the reader a deeper understanding of size and beauty of this unique area of interest.
Art & Métíers du Livre is publishing a series of studies about the book. Other publications from them, all with French texts and illustrated in both black and white and color, include:
Equipment
Donald Beswick, in Camarillo, Calif., has undertaken to dispose of the bookbinding equipment of the late Ann Thornton. Two large items remain to be sold:
Contact Mr. Beswick at 805-482-8035.
Books
A Book: Literary and Visual Musings on the Letter A, a collaborative effort by eight calligraphers and eight authors blending words and images of the Letter A. 9 G› x 8 L›, 48 pp., paper Available from Scribes 8, 1825 Poplar SW, Albuquerque, NM 87105. Price: $16.95 + $3.05 s&h.
Shadow Play by Ann M. Kresge. Published by the Library Fellows of the National Museum of Women in the Arts, 1998. Ann Kresge has received the 1998 NMWA Library Fellows Award. Her book was inspired by Indonesian puppet theater and incorporates a "stage", a set of six paper puppets, and a booklet instructing the viewer how to assemble and interact with the book. The reader can create her/his original story, using the outlines of stories. Available from NMWA Museum Shop for $400 (+ $8 s&h). Limited edition of 125, numbered and signed. NMWA, 1250 New York Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 2005-3920. tel: 202-783-5000; fax: 202-393-3235. Website: www.nmwa.org
Wild Parrots and the King of La Brea, published by Bieler Press (4216 H Glencoe Ave., Marina del Rey, CA 90292; tel: 310-821-8269; fax: 310-821-8440; email: Bieler@worldnet.att.net), 1998. A journal-like account of captive love in the ‘City of Angels’. 36 drawings by Robert Dansby. Conceived, designed and printed by Gerald Lange, Bieler Press proprietor. Edition of 135. 7 H› x 10›, 57 pp. $590, + $40.43 tax in CA.
EscoYer: Chef of Kings, King of Chefs by Etienne Brouillet. 1998. Designed and produced by Pat Baldwin at Pequeño Press (P.O. Box 1711, Bisbee, AZ 85603; tel: 520-432-5924; fax: 520-432-3065; email: patbooks@ primenet.com). Edition of 55, signed & numbered. $85 + $2 s&h. 34 pp. NSEW accordion structure, Japanese hand printed paper on cover. Bound at Waterleaf Mill and Bindery by Pat Baldwin and staff.
Periodicals
These issues are available on loan from the Guild Library (www.lib.uiowa.edu/spec-coll/gbw/GBW1.RHTML.)
Abbey Newsletter, Vol. 21 #7 1997.
Biblio Vol. 3 #4, April 1998
Biblio Vol. 3 #5, May 1998
Biblio Vol. 3 #6, June 1998.
Binders’ Guild Newsletter, Vol. XXI, No. 3, April 1998
Canadian Bookbinders and Book Artists Guild Newsletter, Vol. 16 #2, Summer 1998
Designer Bookbinders Newsletter, No. 102, Spring 1998
Paper Conservation News, No. 85, March 1998
Society of Bookbinders Newsletter, April 1998.
This list is compiled by Sid Huttner and includes catalogs received by him which include books of interest to GBW members. Catalog number, address, phone number and Internet address (when stated in the catalog) are recorded.
Black Sun Books 116 (319 items). 157 East 57th Street, New York, NY 10022. 212-688-6622. <blksnbks@panix.com>. Press and illustrated books.
The BookPress 113 (235 items). P.O. Box KP, Williamsburg, VA 23187. 757-229-1260. <bookpress@widowmaker.com>. New arrivals, including some book arts, several early artist’s manuals.
Bromer Booksellers Summer List (256 items). 607 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02116. 617-247-2818. <books@bromer.com>. Press books. Also noted: "Books about Papermaking: Processes, Materials, Mills, and Marbling" available on request or at website <www.bromer.com>.
Frances Wakeman Books 38 (409 items). 2 Manor Way, Kidlington, Oxford ox5 2bd, UK. 011-44-01865-378316. <fwbooks@globalnet.co.uk>. Book arts, featuring bookbinding (90 items),illustration and fine press (54), papermaking (76), and printing (127).
Marlborough Rare Books 176 (440 items). 144-146 New Bond Street, London w1y 9fd. 011-44-0171-493-6993. <sales@mrb-books.co.uk>. Varia with supplement (101 items) of book arts and bibliography.
Thomas G. Boss List 988 (121 items). 355 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02116-3313. 617-421-1880. <boss@tiac.net>. Illustrated books, some book and decorative arts.