Friendship courtesy of Dick Blacher

Book and note courtesy of Dick Blacher. Pictures and comments by Paul Jackson.

Friendship

by Henry David Thoreau, 1903
#5 of 50
Illumined by E. S. Harney
 

Note: John  Grabau was a book binder at the Roycroft from 1902 - 1905.  He later formed his own bindery, this bindery was named the Derome bindery after Nicolas Denis Derome (active 1761-c 1789) who achieved great fame by his use of the dentelle border. Taking the dentelles of Padeloup as models, Derome's dentelles are typically made up of tools in combination, rather than in repetition, and are represented by symmetrical corner tooling of a very richly engraved floriated scroll work. An essential feature in Nicolas Derome's finest dentelles is a small bird with outstretched wings.

This book measures 11 5/8" x 8". The binding was designed and executed and signed by John Grabau, a binder at the Roycroft from 1902 to 1905. He later formed his own bindery. The ornaments were designed by Samuel Warner. This book was exhibited in the Head, Heart and Hand exhibition and was illumined by E. S. Harvey.
There is a listing for a Friendship in the 1903 catalog that states, "Ten on Classic Vellum, specially bound in full Levant, initials drawn in free hand, very elaborate, each $250." The 1903 catalog further states that 50 copies were printed on Imperial Japan Vellum, initials drawn in free hand and that they sold for $60.00

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