The terms 'popular' and 'art' have been used together on many occasions, but seldom with as much justification as with the books designed by Talwin Morris, Charles Rennie Mackintosh and others for Blackie & Son at the end of the 1800s and during the early years of the 1900s.
Bookends differ in style and functionality, but their most important role is to keep books in the vertical position as firmly as possible. They are in common use in libraries, bookstores, and many homes.
The humble bookmark is an invaluable asset to the avid reader. For as long as there have been books, bookmarks have been the readers friend. It is a convenient and safe way to remind the reader where to start reading next, when he or she continues to read after a break. Bookmarks also saved valuable books from becoming “dog eared” where the reader bends over the corner of the page as a reminder where to start again.
Harold Curwen and his partner Oliver Simon, ensured that the name of Curwen Press stood for quality, whether the job was a letterhead, trade label or Julius Meier Graefe's two volume work on Van Gogh.
What are first edition books and how can you tell if a book is a first edition? We will try to answer some of these questions along with pointers on how to spot a first edition book.