The Countess Eva Sparre, _née_ Mannerheim, is at present our leading artist in bookbinding, in the sense that the work is entirely her own, independent of traditional style and original in composition, in execution, and especially in colour-effects. She has not executed a great number of bindings, but they are all distinguished by individual character, very modest in their ornamentation, and exquisite in the use of the materials. Miss Greta Morssing, who has chiefly studied the modern English tooled work, is also an accomplished exponent of the art.
[Illustration: INITIAL LETTERS DESIGNED BY ARTUR SJÖGREN]
[Illustration: HALF-TITLE PAGE FROM GUSTAV V'S BIBLE. DESIGNED BY OLLE HJORTZBERG. PRINTED BY BRÖDERNA LAGERSTRÖM]
[Illustration: PAGE FROM AUGUST STRINDBERG'S "ANTIBARBARUS." WITH DECORATIONS BY ARTUR SJÖGREN. PRINTED BY BRÖDERNA LAGERSTRÖM]
[Illustration: PAGE FROM AUGUST STRINDBERG'S "ANTIBARBARUS." WITH DECORATIONS BY ARTUR SJÖGREN. PRINTED BY BRÖDERNA LAGERSTRÖM]
[Illustration: PAGE FROM AUGUST STRINDBERG'S "ANTIBARBARUS." WITH INITIAL LETTER BY ARTUR SJÖGREN. PRINTED BY BRÖDERNA LAGERSTRÖM]
[Illustration: PAGE FROM AUGUST STRINDBERG'S "ANTIBARBARUS." PRINTED BY BRÖDERNA LAGERSTRÖM]
[Illustration: BOOKBINDING IN NIGER MOROCCO, WITH INLAY AND GOLD TOOLING. BY GRETA MORSSING]
[Illustration: BOOKBINDING IN NIGER MOROCCO, WITH INLAY AND GOLD TOOLING. BY GRETA MORSSING]
[Illustration: BOOKBINDING IN RED MOROCCO, WITH INLAY AND GOLD TOOLING. BY GRETA MORSSING]
[Illustration: BOOKBINDING IN TOOLED LEATHER. BY COUNTESS EVA SPARRE]
[Illustration: BOOKBINDING IN RED CALF, WITH GOLD TOOLING BY GUSTAF HEDBERG]
[Illustration: BOOKBINDING IN BLUE MOROCCO, WITH INLAY AND GOLD TOOLING BY GUSTAF HEDBERG]
[Illustration: BOOKBINDING IN GREEN MOROCCO, WITH GOLD TOOLING BY GUSTAF HEDBERG]
[Illustration: BOOKBINDING IN BROWN MOROCCO, WITH INLAY AND GOLD TOOLING BY GUSTAF HEDBERG]
[Illustration: HEAD-PIECES BY EINAR NERMAN FOR HANS ANDERSEN'S "PER SVINAHERDE." PUBLISHED BY P. A. NORSTEDT UND SÖNER]
THE ART OF THE BOOK IN AMERICA BY WILLIAM DANA ORCUTT
The Art of the Book in America received a tremendous impetus as a result of the work of William Morris in England. Previous to that time American printing showed no originality, the finest examples being based firmly upon the best English work of the period. The highest point of excellence was reached during the decade from 1860 to 1870, and no better example of orthodox printing could be cited than the "Life of Prescott," produced by the University Press in 1864. After 1870, and down to the date of the Morris revival, well-made volumes were issued from the University, the Riverside and the De Vinne Presses, but the average quality deteriorated. The transition of book-making from a trade to an art dates from the appearance of the Kelmscott volumes.