Apart from the Text

Rota (Anthony).   Illustrated Private Libraries Association, Pinner,  1998 First Edition One of 150 special copies from an edition of 2,200   Quarter morocco, signed, with portrait frontispiece Fine copy  This book is an exploration of what the physical appearance of 19th and 20th century books can teach us, not only about the history of publishing, but also about economic and social history and the career of authorship. It examines changes in binding styles from boards through cloth to paperbacks, noting trends in design, and studying the inception and subsequent virtual extinction of pictoral cloth bindings. It follows the evolution of the dust-wrapper from simple protective wrapping to elaborate artifact. Changes in publishing practice come under review, as do the effects of two world wars on book production. Comparisons are drawn between English and American treatment of specific titles. The intention of this book is to give insight into bibliographical matters, which will not only be of help in textual, critical and bibliographical study, but will give readers added pleasure as they take a book from the shelf and open it - even before they begin to read. In short, this work is about what books offer “apart from the text”. 

Price: £75