Cicero

De Officiis

> click here to see the full size image.

Arthur L. Humphreys London 1902 Title printed in red and black. Small 4to. [224 x 178 x 30 mm]. 278pp. Contemporary binding by Morrell (signed in gilt on the front turn-in) of burgundy goatskin, the covers tooled in gilt with a wide double fillet border built up with a double fillet and gouges with arabesque leaves and dots. The spine divided into six panels with gilt tooled bands, lettered in the second panel and dated at the foot, the others tooled with arabesque leaves, dots and gouges, the edges of the boards tooled with a gilt double fillet, the turn-ins and matching inside joints with two fillets, gouges, arabesque leaves and dots, marbled endleaves, top edges gilt. (Rebacked preserving original spine and tips of the corners repaired). A handsome edition, entirely in English. The binding is a fine piece of work, as one would expect from Morrell at the time. It has the ink stamp of the US store Brentano's, a major conduit for such books. The firm of W.T. Morrell was said to have originated from the bindery of Charles Lewis. After Lewis's death and the departure of his foreman, Francis Bedford, the busines fell into the hands of H. Stamper, who controlled it until 1861, when William Morrell took it over. On Morrell's death in 1881, his son W.J. Morrell was turned over to Messrs. Kelly & Sons to finish his apprenticeship. He returned to Morrell's in 1887 and the bindery moved from Frith Street to large premises at 21 Dean Street, Soho. By 1900 it was employing almost one hundred binders, specialising in trade work and the best class of prize bindings, usually in tree-calf. They also produced a good number of "specials" such as this example, and their entry for the Tregaskis International Bookbinding Exhibition of 1894 was voted the best in the show by book lovers and binders alike. A "portrait" of the firm was published in The British Bookmaker, vol.IV, no.47 (May 1891), and it was noted in reference to the finishing department: "For other styles, special designs are drawn and worked by the men, Mr. Morrell - who is a devout believer in co-operation - paying extra for an accepted design, thus encouraging the development of their creative faculties, and at the same time securing for himself a higher standard of skill amongst his expert staff of workmen". The bindery closed in the 1980's.

• GBP 750.00 > other currencies
• ordernr.: ebc2867

• bookseller: George Bayntun (GREAT BRITAIN)