Coffee-Table Books

Coffee-table books :: Bettie XL // Ina’s 1969 // No flashA snapshot of my most recent book purchases, from the top:

1. Unseen Vogue; bursting with images that didn’t, for various reasons, make the cut into the British edition
2. Lanvin, by Dean L. Merceron; an absolutely breathtaking monograph on the early twentieth century fashion designer Jeanne Lanvin – worth every penny!
3. The Handbag, An illustrated history, by Caroline Cox; a great reference
4. Seduction, A celebration of Sensual Style, by Caroline Cox; the 20s and 30s photographs are particularly lovely
5. A Century of Hats, by Susie Hopkins; another great reference book catering to my obsession (hats, of course, although collecting books is fun too)
6. The Artful Storybook, by Terry Taylor; a book about one of a kind artist-created books in a myriad of formats, which also explains the creation process
7. Russian Textiles, Printed Cloth for the bazaars of Central Asia, by Susan Meller; beautiful images to inspire anyone interested in textiles or pattern design
8. Édouard Boubat, the Monograph; Boubat’s career spanned 50 years, his elegant, poetic black and white photographs sweep one from the everyday life of Paris on a trip to Africa, India, Spain, Portugal, Mexico and Japan 
9. The Snippy World of New Yorker Fashion Artist Michael Roberts; with a short foreword by Tim Blanks, this large format book is chock-a-block with Roberts’ wonderful cut-paper collages and drawings

All these books – with the exception of The Artful Storbyook, bought in Vietnam – were purchased either through Abebooks.com, or in remainders bookstores at very good prices. It goes to prove one can confound the Australian Government’s heavy tax on imported books!

By George! (II)

‘George Barbier – The Birth of Art Deco’, edited by Barbara Martorelli, published by Marcilio EditoriThis beautiful and inspiring book monograph on George Barbier (1882–1932) depicts a broad spectrum of his work, from the earliest pieces signed with his pseudonym Edward William Larry, to his work for the theatre, fashion plates, almanacs, book designs, advertising, erotica and more.

Barbier’s subjects are nearly always lighthearted, but his linework is exquisite, the design of the detailed patterns intricate. There are quite a few instances where the rough sketch is shown next to the finished illustration, which is fascinating to see.

Sketch and final illustration of Mademoiselle Sorel en grand habit, 1924La Belle Hélène from Personnages de Comédie, 1922One short chapter describes the painstaking pochoir stencil technique, which Barbier fully supported, far preferring it to the quality of prints obtained by contemporary photomechanical methods.

Happily, printing methods have improved vastly since then, and this book is beautifully produced, both in design and reproduction. The paper is thick and creamy, a gorgeous foundation for the illustrations, and puts my old 70s and 80s books on Art Deco illustration to shame. Although it was an expensive purchase, it was well worth it, for there is so much to look at and take in with every illustration.

A selection of covers of ‘La Guirlande des mois’ and ‘Falbalas et Fanfreluches’ almanacs

Lettuces and Love

A promising cover: big clouds, a blustery wind, and Pookie’s worldly possessions tied up in a spotted handkerchief. What adventure waits inside!

I was very young when I first started browsing in ‘op shops’, as charity stores are called here in Australia. One of my favourite things to do was to visit the local library on Saturdays – I just loved books, and was thrilled to have my very own library card.

After visiting the library, my older sister Star and I would cross the road and go to the Lion’s Club op shop and look at the heaving bookshelves there. I was under ten, so the children’s picture books interested me most. 

I would sit on the floor and look through piles of discarded, colourful books and take home my favourites. They were 10¢, 20¢; my sister paid for them. 

I particularly remember Ivy L. Wallace’s Pookie tales, about an adventuresome winged bunny, and his friends: fairies, pixies, mice, owls and squirrels all happily living and working together. I loved the cosy friendliness of their lives: outside it was snowing, but inside they were all safe and warm, and merry. 

I loved this cosy image: even the owl and mice ensconced on Santa’s lap have their own tiny glasses.

Pookie’s snuggled up in his picnic hamper; how sweet is this ending? He dreams of Lettuces and Love…

I don’t know what became of those books, but I do remember seeing one in a secondhand bookstore a year or two ago. It was well over $20, which I thought a very high price at the time, but I find that is the average price on Abebooks too. I’ll be keeping my eyes peeled in op shops from now on!