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Decoration

A coloured illustration of Phoebe Anna Traquair, surrounded by bookbinding tools and some examples of her own bindings, including the Psalms of David.

This section highlights book bindings and illustrative typesetting, physical attributes of material that too often become estranged from the content they adorn. Though decoration, these bindings and typesetting are not solely decorative; these features allow for greater insight into the work they enhance.

Phoebe Anne Traquair’s binding

This tooled goatskin binding was hand-made by Phoebe Anna Traquair, one of the first and most prominent members of the Guild of Women Binders. A British organization, the Guild was founded in 1898 to showcase and promote female bookbinders and to train other women in the art.

Traquair’s monogram is visible in the cover’s lower lefthand corner, and scenes and symbolism of King David and the lion of Judah decorate the front and back covers.

Still curious? Read the University of Edinburgh Journal's article on Traquair or their memo on this acquisition.

Binding of the Psalms

Creator Phoebe Anna Traquair
Date 1862

Who was she?

Creator Listen to Elizabeth Quarmby Lawrence (Rare Books and Literary Collections Curator at the Centre for Research Collections) on Traquair's life and work.

Title: Binding of the Psalms
Creator Phoebe Anna Traquair
Date 1862
Object reference Bdg.s.40
Material Embossed goatskin depicting scenes from the life of King David and the lion of Judah on back cover; silver book clasps with leather strap; gilt edges and vellum endpapers.
Transcription

Phoeba Anna Traquair’s moulded leather binding, on a copy of the Psalms of David was bought for the library, with the help of the Friends in 2015.

It is a superb example of a technique of decorating bookbindings which was a unique Edinburgh contribution to the Arts and Crafts movement, and was also completely female in conception and execution. The technique was invented in the 1890s by Annie S. Macdonald, a member of a circle of intelligent and inventive women within Edinburgh’s professional classes. She was always its chief exponent, but she taught it to others.

Phoebe Traquair was one of the most important and versatile members of the Arts and Crafts movement in Scotland, and one of few women artists of her day to achieve proper professional recognition.

This binding shows all the characteristics of her work in other media – the symbolic design representing the book of Psalms, the influences of medieval and Celtic designs, both long-standing sources of inspiration.

These bindings long held an odd position in the worlds of both book and art history, rather unacknowledged, but difficult to ignore. More recently their quality has been appreciated, and there has been a growth of interest in women in the Arts and Crafts movement in general and in this byway of binding history in particular, which is why this fabulous binding has been such a major addition to the University’s collections.

The Defence of Guenevere is a collection of poems written by William Morris and published by his own Kelmscott Press. Morris founded the press in honour of the craftsmanship and artistic flair of medieval books, recreating every detail of that aesthetic. He commissioned special paper, ink, and typesets to uphold this standard.

This first page of The Defence of Guenevere is an exquisite representation of Morris’ artistry and attention to detail.

The Defence of Guenevere Typesetting

Creator William Morris
Date 1892

Title: The Defence of Guenevere Typesetting
Creator William Morris
Date 1892
Object reference RB.S.4657
Material Coloured ink

Decorative binding of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

This 1890s copy of the 14th century Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is also a part of the Kelmscott Press collection. Here, the focal point is the binding: the unique colours and gold-plated design are a testament to the story within.

Gawain recreation

Creator William Morris
Date 1890s
Place of creation Kelmscott Press

What does it symbolise?

Creator Listen to Danielle Howarth (Senior Archives and Library Assistant at the Centre for Research Collections) talk about the binding's significance.

Title: Gawain recreation
Creator William Morris
Date 1890s
Place of creation Kelmscott Press
Object reference Bdg.F.3
Transcription

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is an anonymous fourteenth-century poem written in Middle English. It’s about two and a half thousand lines long, so quite a story, and it’s very complex and knotty with lots of twists and turns. This beautiful edition is interesting because of the symbols and colours on its cover. I won’t give anything away – especially as there is a new movie adaptation that came out in 2021 called The Green Knight, which may be of interest – but the story is set at Christmas, making the red and green binding quite festively appropriate. Green is also an important colour otherwise, as there is – as the title suggests – a character whose skin is green. The five-pointed star in gold on the cover is the pentangle that Gawain has on the back of his shield. It represents five interlocking aspects of courtly chivalry. The sash tied around it is the green girdle, a very important and heavily symbolic object in the poem. That it is wrapped around the pentangle on this edition is a visual representation of some of the complex symbolic knots in the poem, and highlights – literally in gold – some of its most enduring and interesting features.