Posted 10 years ago
austrohung…
(584 items)
When last Summer we visited Hill House in Helensburg, one of Charles Rennie Mackintosh's masterworks, I saw these book cover designs Mackintosh made for Blackie & Son in the 1920s. I absolutely loved them and made up my mind i should get the three designs attributed to him, so for the last year I've been looking for them, and getting them to give Carlos as a non-birthday present (you know, the kind of present you give a loved one just because... who hasn't read Lewis Carrol's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland? LOL).
I love the simplicity about them. Just take a look at the lettering in "The four Miss Whittingtons"... isn't it simply amazing?
On the last picture you can see the spines, which are a great work on their own..
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"The Saucy May" had an ex-libris that has been removed, but "The Brig "Audacious" has got a label where you can read "(Third) Awarded to Stanley Fox 1930 Primitive Methodist Sunday School", whereas"The Four Miss Whittingtons has got written "Heighington United Methodist Sunday School. Presented to Dorothy Exby. Feb 17th 1929".
I see thes Blackie books were very popular amongst Methodist Sunday Schools :)
Book-binding beauties. Brilliant!
Oh, they are lovely!
Thanks for your love vet, jensen and mike!
They really are not difficult to find. had I got a higher budget I'd probably been able to get them in excelet condition (although I'd say they are in pretty good shape).
By the way, "The Saucy May" had an ex-libris that has been removed, but "The Brig "Audacious" has got a label where you can read "(Third) Awarded to Stanley Fox 1930 Primitive Methodist Sunday School", whereas"The Four Miss Whittingtons has got written "Heighington United Methodist Sunday School. Presented to Dorothy Exby. Feb 17th 1929".
Ican see this Blackie books were very popular amongst Methodist Sunday Schools :)
Thanks a lot for your love Violet and agh!!!
stunning!!! :)
Thanks Sean!!!!
I collect old books just because I love their covers...mainly children's ....also because I just love the ilustrations in them....these are lovely...:-)
I am glad you like them inky! These i like not only for being Mackintosh's, but for their beauty. I've been collecting a few (just a few) and Carlos has got his share of old books too, but being design collectors, and a graphic designer myself, I really feel something special for them.
I can understand that....it's great that you both love to collect the same things....:-)
More than once we've asked each other: are you going to buy it or do i buy it myself? :)
It absolutely makes chosing presents a lot easier!
Thanks for loving the books tom, antiquerose, cogito and toolate!!!!
Your very welcome austro!!
Some of the best Glasgow artists designed covers for Blackie including Jessie M King & Talwin Morris. They are quire good fun to find & collect.
Morris's are amazing and as for King's, I've seen them very beautiful but they are rarer and more expensive. I would love to get a small selection of their designs
You never know, you might get lucky. I picked up a pair of big King Blackies for $10 each at a second hand bookstore in New Zealand & a couple of King designed theatre programs with the paper covers at a local antique centre.
The Morris 's can still be found reasonably easily, the 2 versions of The Universe are the best designs (I think) and are usually priced at about 40 pounds. Also, the little leather bound Red Letter Shakspeare Blackies are really nice.
The trick with the King's is that she designed for publishers both early & later in her career. It's good to be familiar with her pen & ink style, her, later, looser, water colour style & her textile design style (some, later, King designed books were covered in her textiles). That's the best way to identify them when no one else knows.
Thanks Jewels!!! It's great learning more about the subject (and at the same time it's dangerous to know them... you see, one's a born collector, LOL)
Thanks Mani and petey!!!
I shouldn't say this as carlos might read it but some talwin Morris's design are right now on their way to Madrid ;)
Very beautiful!!!
Thanks Katzl! As a lover of both Mackintosh, design and the early 20th Century style, one cannot but love these! :)
Oh my! I just found two more book designs by Mackintosh... this collecting will never end!!! LOL
LOL!!!! it doesn't end!!! heehee :)
Nope! LOL Luckily these new ones seem to be quite rare, so I'm feeling well about it. I am sure someday they'll come out and will be there to get them ;)