The Sermon on the Mount from the Gospel of St. Matthew, Chapters 5, 6, 7.
Worcester, MA: Achille J. St. Onge, 1973. 55pp. The text is printed with large ornamental initials in red by Joh. Enschedé en Zonen. In a striking designer binding by Stephen Conway, evoking ancient wood and stone. Conway writes that his bindings "have a tactile quality, in keeping with the three dimensional qualities of the book," and "a sort of earthy, minimalist look, hinting at the content." The central panel of the covers is comprised of a plinth with three steps, covered in parchment stained with tones of copper and bronze. In the center is a cross cut from vellum. The four surrounding panels are covered with hand-painted paste-paper patterned with wood grain and sealed with a matte wax finish. The panels are slightly separated, revealing underlays of black text between them. Conway also painted the endpapers with textural shades of brown and black, giving them the appearance of wood and bark. The spine is gilt-titled mahogany morocco. Following his belief that the box in which a book is housed is part of the overall work and serves to enhance the viewer's experience, the book sits in a felt-lined compartment between the steps of a larger three-level plinth covered in hand-painted parchment. Conway was named a Fellow of Designer Bookbinders in 2000, and his work is held in collections worldwide, including the National Library of Scotland and the British Library. Extremely fine. (2 1/2 by 1 3/4; 64x43mm). Item #25350
Price: $1,500.00