[Fine Binding | Arts & Crafts] Cyrano de Bergerac

Rostand, Edmond. Cyrano de Bergerac. London: Arthur Heinemann, 1919. Later printing Bound in dark blue crushed morocco, hand-tooled in the Arts & Crafts style, with a large gilt floral diamond ornament to the covers, built up with gouges, two styles of leaf tool, and pointillé. Each corner feature a smaller version of this ornament, connected with a gilt rule and small tri-floral ornaments at regular intervals. Five bands to spine with title and author to second compartment, and four groups of the same stylized gilt floral tri-ornament to the remaining compartments. Gilt-ruled turn-ins with mottled endpapers. All edges gilt. Measures approx. 5" x 6.75". Some light rubbing to edges and spine bands. Housed in a worn satin-lined blue cloth slipcase.

Binding unsigned, but most reminiscent of the type of work Alfred de Sauty was producing at this time, though not quite at his level of perfection. (There was a School of Apprentices at R.R. Donnelley, but typically their work included a tipped-in label.)