Early craft binding by a master in the field. The Charm of Birds.

INSCRIBED BY BINDER. Third Popular Edition. Octavo, pp. xii, 305, [3]. Woodcut head- and tail-pieces and vignette to title page by Robert Gibbings. Later craft binding in full bottle green morocco with 5 raised bands, gilt titles to upper board and bird design in gilt over both boards and spine. Aeg, gilt dentelles and leather doublures and endpapers by Desmond Yardley. Spine lightly sunned, minor chip to lower edge of upper board (see photograph). Contents clean and bright with inscription to final blank to fore: "D. Yardley Rebound 1937 L.C.C. C.S.A.C.", with number 7 written above a crossed-through 9, all in the same hand. A Near Fine copy. Handsome binding by the widely admired craft binder H.J. Desmond Yardley (1905-72), whose skilled work was much in demand by collectors. Yardley began his binding career with music scores in the early 1930s, after which he studied at the Central School of Arts and Crafts (the C.S.A.C. of the inscription) and he was elected to the Guild of Contemporary Binders in 1956. Examples of his meticulous work may be seen at the British Library, V&A and Bibliotheque Royale, Brussels. An early "apprentice piece" by Yardley whilst at the Central School where he received tuition from William Matthews, George Frewin and Peter McLeish. Harrop, Dorothy A : Craft Binders at Work V H.J. Desmond Yardley, pp. 245-250 [1975 Book Collector].…