[Fine Binding | Ellen G. Woolrich] Bacon's Essays

Bacon, Francis. Bacon [The Essays of Bacon]. London: Arthur L. Humphreys, 1903. Contemporary Arts and Craft binding by Ellen G. Woolrich of full brown crushed morocco, covers tooled in gilt with wide floral border surrounding central panel of dots grouped in threes, spine with raised bands and six compartments, lettered in one, the rest gilt with floral tools, a.e.g., signed in gilt on rear turn-in “19 E.W. 04.” Measures approx. 4.75" x 6.5". Light wear to spine ends, bumping to corners, small closed cracks to upper and lower 1/2" of front cover hinge. Some darkened spots to the covers.

"Ellen (Nelly) G. Woolrich probably learned to bind from Cockerell or from Sangorski and Sutcliffe. She was working at 5 Bloomsbury Square when she exhibited in the A&CES exhibition in 1903 and in Antwerp in 1904" (Tidcombe). One of her bookbindings is also featured in Sarah T. Prideaux's Modern Bookbinding... (1906), and The Studio's "Yearbook of Decorative Art" for 1909.