[Fine Binding | Leonard Mounteney] The Infernal Marriage

Name: [Fine Binding | Leonard Mounteney] The Infernal Marriage
Brand: Under the Hill Books
Price: 650.0 USD
Availability: OutOfStock

Disraeli the Younger. The Infernal Marriage. London: Printed at the Curwen Press for William Jackson, 1929. Limited to 850 copies, of which this is #91. Eighteen illustrations by John Austen, all of which have been beautifully hand-colored in the pochoir style. (Most copies only have a small number of illustrations that have been colored.) With a bibliography of books with illustrations by John Austen at the rear.

Though unsigned, bound in 3/4 crushed morocco by the Cuneo Fine Binding Studio with square corners, outlined in a dotted gilt rule, and patterned paper boards. Spine with four bands and large lower compartment richly gilt with leaves, vines, and three large red inlaid flowers. Second, third, and fifth compartments with titling in gilt. All edges gilt, with the top edge gauffered and painted with leaves and flowers. Yellow watered silk endpapers. Measures approx. 6.75" x 10". Some light rubbing to edges and spine bands.

Though the volume is unsigned, it is unmistakably from the Cuneo Fine Binding Studio, and was most likely tooled by Leonard Mounteney, who was the finisher at Cuneo at the time this volume was bound (early 1930s). Mounteney worked as an extra finisher at Riviere & Son in London until 1924, when he joined the Extra Bindery at R. R. Donnelley in Chicago, working alongside Alfred de Sauty. He left Donnelley in 1926 to join Cuneo's hand bindery, also in Chicago. (This volume even features the butterfly tool commonly seen on Donnelley bindings from Mounteney's time with the firm.)