Thomas W. Lawson Presentation Book

As seen in the February 2001 Edition of Style 1900

Courtesy of The Richard Blacher Collection

Pictures and description courtesy of Mr. Richard Blacher.

Thomas W. Lawson Presentation Book

Roycroft Presentation Boxes

Hand carved, wooden boxes were produced by the Roycroft artisans almost solely on commission. The very few that I’ve examined, including the two examples in my collection are, unfortunately, unsigned.

Lawson Presentation Book: Presented in a carved walnut box (15" x 12 ˝"), incorporating Mr. Lawson’s monogram (TWL) in the design, the folio-size book was bound by Louis Kinder in full Levant with inlayed leathers in several colors, again highlighting the Lawson monogram. Dard Hunter designed, hand-calligraphed, and hand-illumined the title page, chapter headings, and six pages of manuscript. These designs are not included in the Life Work of Dard Hunter, Volume I. Alexis Fournier contributed three pages in which the upper halves contain monotypes of stylized landscapes of Albert Lea, MN. Fournier then added watercolors (signed and dated) to the lower halves of these pages. The last page, also hand-calligraphed by Dard Hunter, reads, "Done into print with one hand by Dard Hunter; pictures by Alex Fournier; binding by Louis Kinder – all Honest Roycrofters – for their friends the Citizens of Albert Lea. Cover design by Theo. Neuhuys." Research leads me to believe that The Roycrofters probably asked between $500.00 and $750.00 for it, an enormous price at the time. For a full discussion and other photos, refer to the February, 2001 edition of Style 1900.

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