#MiniatureMonday
A thought on Book-Binding by Herman Melville H. H. Hurley publisher.
Todays item is a letterpress copy of a part of an essay by Herman Melville (best know as the author of Moby Dick) discussing different bindings, in particular, a criticism of the binding of J.F. Cooper's Red Rover from 1852.
Melville advocates for a more dramatic binding to match the contents of the book, such as black leather with a red border, or a red square to represent the flag of the pirate ship in the book.
Seeing beautiful bindings in our collections, we kind of agree with Melville.
"100 copies (24 copies on paper handmade by Henry Morris plus three copies on Morris paper with Cock & Bull Press name on title page, unknown number deluxe in gilt leather" "Although the colophon for the Melville book calls for 350 copies, Hurley wrote that 'Due to a cutting mistake, less than 100 copies were completed'" --R.C. Bradbury/ Catalog Bound in red leather boards with gilt title on front cover
--Diane R., Special Collections Graduate Student
^Herman Melville to boring book bindings.^