Designer Bookbinders 2014

by Laurence Worms - Ash Rare Books

The Bookhunter on Safari

Always a jolly evening at the annual prize-giving for the Designer Bookbinders Competition, held again this year at the ever engaging St. Bride Foundation – a feast for the eyes, old friends and new abounding, happy winners of prizes.  I had a particular interest this year in having been roped in at the last minute (the President was indisposed) to select the recipients of the four ABA Highly Commended Certificates.  No difficulty in choosing them: I was genuinely surprised that some of them at least hadn’t already been selected to win some of the top awards.

Bec Britain – Breakfast at Tiffany’s

Let’s start with them (click to enlarge the images): Bec Britain’s bejewelled, witty, sensuous and stylish take on this year’s set book, Breakfast at Tiffany’s;  Simeon Jones’ abstract and sinuous (but also bejewelled) interpretation of the same book – I really liked this one;  Adelene Koh’s Big…

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Lines in the Ice

by Laurence Worms - Ash Rare Books

The Bookhunter on Safari

Kaladlit Oklluktualliait [Greenland Legends], Godthaab (1859-1863). © The British Library Board. I really rather enjoy these smaller-scale exhibitions (i.e. the free ones) at the British Library.  You get a distinct sense that the bright young curators have just been left to get on with it, without undue interference from the message-spinners and marketing types.  The latest, Lines in the Ice: Seeking the Northwest Passage, which opened a few days ago, is excellent and demands a visit.

George Beste, A True Discourse of the Late Voyages of Discouerie, for the Finding of a Passage to Cathaya, by the Northweast, vnder the Conduct of Martin Frobisher Generall. London : Henry Bynneman, 1578. © The British Library Board.

The Arctic has long held us in thrall, from the classical legends of Ultima Thule – “six days’ sail north of Britain … no longer any proper land nor sea nor air, but a…

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Chelsea Dreams

by Laurence Worms - Ash Rare Books

The Bookhunter on Safari

So – here I am (in my freshly tidied book-room) dreaming about all the treasures I’m going to find at this week’s Chelsea Book Fair.  Well – I say freshly tidied (see last post).  It just about passed muster at this morning’s inspection.  Just about.  The exact rhetorical diasyrm used was a kindly and encouraging, “Well, I can see you have been trying”.

Enough of that – I now have some freshly excavated shelf-space and I’ve found the cheque-book.  No other way this can end but in some determined book-hunting at Chelsea.  Better still, I don’t have to say too much this week because I’m going to see you all there – at least I hope so.  What excuse could you possibly have for not being there?

A lovely venue, books to suit all tastes, some of the best booksellers in the country (and a fair sprinkling from overseas)…

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