(BINDING) Rice Tamara Talbot Russian Icons

Sale 2173 - Lot 16

Unsold

Estimate: $ 2,500 - $ 3,500

(BINDING.) Rice, Tamara Talbot. Russian Icons. 48 color illustrations. bound by philip smith in full morocco, rose on the front cover and blue on the rear cover, the two hues meeting along the center of the spine; both covers feature an elaborate modern take on the traditional icon, which incorporates numerous smaller figures within it; the front cover contains icons in teal and gold on black, with orange, brown, and gold designs around it, the rear cover features a similar, simpler design against a rose background with mostly blind tooling, spine titled in gold on a black inlay; patterned paper pastedowns, all edges gilt, Signed by Smith on the rear turn-in with his symbol and the date 1964. London, (1963)

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Additional Details

an excellent example of an early creation by top binder smith. The book is inscribed by Smith to "Jean," dated 13 July 1970, to whom it was presented as a gift and is accompanied by a 2-page letter to her. In it, he thanks her for a financial contribution for an upcoming exhibition, discusses the field of binding design, and his own work: ". . . I suppose we get used to strange manifestations in bookbinding by being in the thick of it here . . . But I expect mine are `horrid'' to most people . . ."
This volume was exhibited at the Arts Council, 1965 (item #57).