Printed Books & Early American Photography, including Selections from the Larry Ness Collection

STEVENSON, Robert Louis. Prayers Written at Vailima. London: Chatto & Windus, 1906. (Spotting throughout.) Contemporary olive green morocco gilt with monogrammed initials "JGR" in gilt on front cover, all edges gilt (sunning to spine). STAMP-SIGNED AT REAR BY ELLEN G. WOOLRICH. Tidcombe 173. -- TOLSTOY, Leo. The Vow and The Brown Marenz. London: John Davis [n.d.]. 8vo. (Light spotting throughout.) Contemporary olive green half morocco gilt with spine in 6 compartments, 5 raised bands, all edges gilt, over forest green cloth (boards lightly bowed). BINDING ATTRIBUTED TO EDITH J. GEDYE. -- COWPER, William. The Diverting History of John Gilpin. London: Printed for the Guild of Women-Binders, 1899. 8vo. Illustrations by Charles E. Brock (spotting throughout, toning.) Original cream-colored buckram (soiling, rubbing). LIMITED EDITION, number 74 of 100 copies on Japanese paper. -- Together, 3 works in 3 volumes, all 8vo, condition generally fine.

The Guild of Women-Binders was a bookbinding organization active from 1898-1904 and organized by Frank Karslake, founder of the Hampstead Bindery, as a way to sell fine bindings produced by women. Many of these bindings were produced by women who trained under such master bookbinders as T.J. Cobden-Sanderson and Douglas Cockerell, among them Ellen G. Woolrich and Edith J. Gedye. The organization was short-lived, in large part due to Karslake's mismanagement, and many of the binders previously employed went on to continue their professional careers elsewhere, albeit in a far diminished capacity.

[With]: [The Golden Bindery]. Kendell, Sarah Ellet. Autograph manuscript of a speech delivered at the Fine Arts Building. [Chicago, ca. 1908]. 11 pp., 8vo. Central vertical fold, minor toning.

In this letter, Golden Bindery co-founder Sarah Ellet Kendell discusses the art of bookbinding and her own experiences learning the craft. In part: "It was with great reluctance I accepted the invitation to speak before you on a subject that has already been spoken on by so great a master of the craft as our teacher, Mr. T.J. Cobden-Sanderson, and yet often a lesser light may give a warm view to some of the principal steps of any great art..."

The Golden Bindery was founded by sisters Sarah Ellet and Mary Ellet Kendell. The Kendell sisters traveled to England in the early 20th century to study under T.J. Cobden-Sanderson, founder of the Doves Bindery and Doves Press, and later returned to Chicago to open their own firm, The Golden Bindery. Their work was exhibited at the 1907 Arts and Crafts exhibition at the Art Institute of Chicago. Upon Sarah Ellet Kendell's death in the early 1910s the firm disbanded, though Mary Ellet continued to produce her own bindings for many years afterwards. Mary Ellet's daughter would later donate a trove of materials produced by The Golden Bindery to Yale University, where they reside today.