Mcleish Peter Binder (1 results)

First edition, presented in a gift binding for the wood carver Frederic Stuttig, with a calligraphic presentation inscription dated 1928 on the sixth binder's blank, signed over the next seven pages by forty of his fellow teachers at the London County Council Central School of Arts and Crafts. The school was founded by the author of this work in 1896. The binding was done by Peter McLeish. Bookbinding classes were established at the school under Douglas Cockerell in 1897, and it swiftly became a renowned institution. In 1905, printing and typography classes followed, headed by J. H. Mason of the Doves Press. Other members of the Doves Press soon joined him, including McLeish who took over binding classes in 1907. All three men have signed this copy, alongside notable fellows such as John Farleigh, Dora Billington, Archibald Standish Hartrick, and Karl Parsons. Frederic Stuttig (1861-1947) was born in Paris and settled in London around 1891, working first as an antique furniture dealer. From the late 1890s he taught wood carving and gilding at the Central School and at Camberwell School of Arts and Crafts. This fitting work, which champions British crafts and design, was part of his retirement gift, the inscription reading: "Frederic Stuttig, on his retirement from the Central School of Arts and Crafts. This and other books were presented by his Colleagues as a token of their sincere regard", the list of signatures ending, "To F. S. and V. S.", that is, Stuttig's wife, Violet. William Richard Lethaby (1857-1931) was "one of the most influential architectural historians of the nineteenth century" (Dictionary). Around 1885 he became interested in how mystical forces affected architecture, publishing what is widely considered the first study of architectural symbolism, Architecture, Mysticism and Myth, in 1891. He acted as the first principal of the Central School from 1896 until 1912, and in 1906 was appointed to the role of surveyor to the dean and chapter of Westminster Abbey. In the 1980s the School became part of the London Institute, and in 1989 merged with Saint Martin's School of Art to form Central Saint Martin's College of Arts and Design. "Lethaby, William Richard", Dictionary of Art Historians, accessible online. Octavo (222 x 150 mm). Numerous illustrations from the author's architectural drawings. Contemporary red crushed morocco, spine lettered and tooled with geometric pattered in gilt in compartments, covers tooled with arts and crafts style frames and ivy leaf cornerpieces in gilt, central monogram "F.S." to front cover tooled in gilt with green morocco onlay, turn-ins ruled in gilt, plain endpapers, edges gilt, binder's ticket to rear pastedown. Spine sunned, minor scuffs to leather, offsetting to endpapers, contents clean and fresh: a very good copy.