Featured Fore-Edge Painting on book

I've never seen this before, quite amazing.



https://www.facebook.com/cornelluniversitylibrary/videos/10153198135954212/?fref=nf

 

That's amazing!

 

Wow!
Speculating... so you have somebody hold the pages like that and you paint and let it dry??
This may take some figuring!

 

Hi,
In my old church in Brooklyn, there was a Book of Common Prayer with a similar painting on the edges. I have seen a lot of painted edges on books but these two are the only ones I have seen "hidden" under gilt.
greg

 

Amazing. Maybe I could do something like this with menus of restaurants where I do murals. Or maybe not. Not.

 

Really cool! Must take a lot of patience to do.

 

I love these... a couple of years ago the University of Iowa Library's Special Collections posted something similar that was picked up by media:

http://uispeccoll.tumblr.com/post/59499211752/its-a-secret-to-everybody-this-is-one-example

And follow up:
http://uispeccoll.tumblr.com/post/60085963933/follow-up-from-our-post-last-week-featuring

 

Oh my goodness, Figtree. Those are fascinating examples from the University of Iowa collection(s).

I did a little research (in the card catalog of a different university) and found two books written by Carl Jefferson Weber (Carl J. Weber) on fore-edge painting. Perhaps some here might be interested in locating/reading his books on the subject.

Weber, Carl J., Fore-Edge Painting: A historical survey of a curious art in book decorating, Irvington-on-Hudson, NY: Harvey House 1966 xiii, 223 p. : ill.

Weber, Carl J., Thousand and One Fore-Edge Paintings with notes on Artists, Artists, Bookbinders, Publishers, and other men and women connected with the history of a curious art, Waterville, ME, Colby College Press, 1949.

 

That is quite wonderful! I don't need one more book here, but you have given me a new quest.

 

Yea, so glad the link worked
Those are great examples fig, thanks for posting them!
I love books and I'm usually the only person bidding on the box lots at auctions - the auctioneers love to see me in the crowd when they have lots of books to get rid of, lol. Now that I've seen these books it makes me wonder if I've ever had one and didn't know it.

 

I used to see them at book fairs. As a rule the books would have custom leather bindings as well, but the value was in the presentation - in the fore-edge painting and the binding. The edition of the book was generally not of particular interest.

 

I have watched closely for just one of these at garage and estate sales, or even at a thrift, for a great many years now but have never been so lucky.
I've seen them at antiquarian book shows and even Powell's in Portland, OR had/has some. Amazing to see.

 

I mentioned once before the antique appraisal classes I attended. The prof. spent some time on those books, emphasis on its "hidden" treasure which added quite a bit of value. But as King and others, I've never seen one.

 

I've seen them online, but this is the best example yet. Never seen one in person.

 

If there's ever an antiquarian book show near you there should be some if it is a show of good size.

 

WOW!!! And HOLY PATOOTIE!!!! Those are scrumptious and AMAZING!!!! I cannot imagine the time and patience to do one of those!!! I watched several links and saw numerous books!! Fascinating!!!! Thanks for posting about them Cxgirl!!
Sue